Brigid Bergin

As people continue to mourn the death of the late South African president Nelson Mandela, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio offered a remembrance at a Brooklyn church on Sunday saying that he plans to use lessons from Mandela's life as he leads New York City.

A busy week for two Mayors and two Governors. Governors Chris Christie and Andrew Cuomo, outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg and incoming Mayor Bill de Blasio — all four had their reasons for running from the media and embracing us, for ducking questions and for answering them wholeheartedly. WNYC's Andrea Bernstein and Brigid Bergin and New Jersey Public Radio's Nancy Solomon break it all down.

As Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio unveils the city's next administration, Mayor Michael Bloomberg continued his farewell tour.

Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio has announced several key appointments to his cabinet this morning. Anthony Shorris will be first deputy mayor. Emma Wolfe will be Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. And Dominic Williams will be Shorris' Chief of Staff.

WNYC's Brigid Bergin and Kathleen Horan are at the press conference. Tom Robbins, investigative journalist in residence at the CUNY School of Journalism and former longtime columnist at the Village Voice, talks about the appointments and what they suggest about de Blasio's policy priorities. 

When Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio introduced Anthony Shorris as his new first deputy mayor on Wednesday, he said that Shorris, currently senior vice president at NYU-Langone Hospital, wasn’t someone who would need any “wind-up pitches.”

After making education the cornerstone of his successful campaign, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio was greeted by a standing ovation Monday at a Columbia University summit on the future of the city’s children. The room was filled with educators, advocates and policy-makers, including former Mayor David Dinkins, who de Blasio thanked for launching his career.

Brigid Bergin, WNYC politics reporter, and Andrew Hawkins, political reporter for Crain's New York Business, discuss the latest news in the de Blasio transition, from appointments to the final - balanced - Bloomberg budget.

New Jersey Gov.Chris Christie took a big step on the national stage this week, rising to head the National Governors Association. Meanwhile, incoming Mayor Bill de Blasio talked transition under a big tent, and outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg shored up his legacy with a balanced budget announcement. WNYC's Andrea Bernstein, Brigid Bergin and New Jersey Public Radio Managing Editor Nancy Solomon break it down in This Week In Politics.

The race is on to replace outgoing Council Speaker Christine Quinn. It's considered one of the most powerful positions in City Hall - second only to mayor. For years, it's been a race controlled by party bosses and decided through backroom deals. You can almost smell the smoke-filled room. But there's a serious effort underway to change all that. Here's are four things that make this Council Speaker race (which you can't even vote in) worth-watching:

Is this the week that Bill de Blasio announces his high-level appointments? Azi Paybarah of Capital New York and WNYC's Brigid Bergin set the stage for what looks to be a busy week of transition politics -- and Bloomberg legacy assessment.

The Bloomberg administration enters its waning days as Chris Christie gets ready to assume a national post — and from towers near grand central terminal to traffic on the George Washington Bridge, WNYC's Andrea Bernstein and Brigid Bergin, and New Jersey Public Radio's Nancy Solomon break it all down.

There was broad consensus among New Yorkers that Bill de Blasio was the best choice on Tuesday's ballot. He got 73 percent of the vote and won among every major demographic group. But now that the election is over, what do we actually know about how he will govern? WNYC Metro Editor Andrea Bernstein and reporters Brigid Bergin and Anna Sale review what we know — and the potential wild cards.

After 10 months on the campaign trail, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, are taking some well-earned time off after he appears at the Somos El Futuro conference in Puerto Rico this week. But with just eight weeks before someone hands him the keys to City Hall, there are conversations to be had, even if it’s while decompressing on the beach.

Here are five things Mayor-elect de Blasio may be mulling between now and Jan. 1.

After twelve years of Bloomberg, it's now up to Mayor-elect de Blasio to build a new team. Brigid Bergin, WNYC politics reporter and Errol Louis, NY1 host, discuss the four people announced yesterday, and what it says about the new government.

Bill de Blasio romped last night, winning the vast majority of election precincts, no matter which racial group was dominant.

Republican mayoral candidate Joe Lhota walked back and forth greeting voters on W. 125th Street in Harlem Monday, hoping to sway some last-minute supporters.

Tuesday November 5 is Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m in New York and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in New Jersey. Here's what you need to know about voting in New York or New Jersey.

"They are white supremacists. They are men of evil. They have names."

Staten Island has traditionally been a Republican stronghold.  Joe Lhota campaigned there Friday with the former Mayor, Rudy Giuliani.  But with Bill de Blasio looking at historic margins, there's a possibility all five boroughs might vote for the Democrat.  Plus — more on who's giving to Bill de Blasio, and how his campaign is getting less and less transparent.

On the front of the paper ballot, vote for candidates. But make sure to flip it over for six proposals that would in some way change the state Constitution.