Ranked choice voting comes to New York for the first time, this year, but it’s not just about politics. Mayor Bill de Blasio, also, announced a contest for the best pizza toppings.

By David Stone

Roosevelt Island Daily News

Ranked Choice Voting and the Pizza Challenge

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chief Democracy Officer Laura Wood announced ‘Rank Your Pizza,’ an interactive challenge that educates New Yorkers on the new system by encouraging voters to rank their favorite pizza toppings in a ranked choice system.

The mayor got it started, listing his own ranked choices.

• Green peppers
• Olives
• Sausage
• Mushrooms
• Pepperoni

But it was not without controversy.

“Let me tell you what never, ever, ever should be voted for,” de Blasio added in a press briefing. “This is ridiculous, okay? Pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza. We’re not in California. Okay? It is like – this is sacrilegious in Italy to put pineapple on a pizza. So, I’m just – totally, no way, never going to rank that.

“This year, democracy gets an upgrade in New York City. But any new system takes time and practice to get it right. That’s why we’re calling on every New Yorker to rank their pizza toppings this week – it’s a fun, interactive way to demonstrate Ranked Choice Voting and get New Yorkers excited to cast their ballot.”

Participate in the challenge yourself, and preview the new voting system, at www.nyc.gov/votepizza.

Early Voting for the June Primary Election begins on Saturday, June 12th.

New Yorkers interested in voting by absentee ballot must request their ballots at https://nycabsentee.com/ by Tuesday, June 15th. Election Day will be Tuesday, June 22nd.

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You Can’t Be All Three

Transit for the city, an attraction for visitors, and a liability on the Island’s books. The tram is already part of the MTA system. The only question is whether RIOC is ready to admit it.

Theo Gobblevelt Jul 10, 2026

April 9, 2026, during the full board meeting of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation, Fay Christian said something that should have landed harder than it did. She wished RIOC were not responsible for the tram. Then she asked what it would look like if it were given to the MTA. That was not a passing comment.

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