NY Governor Cuomo on Monday visited Kiryas Joel and New Square.

Incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), Duchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro (R), and three others are running in the general election on November 6, 2018, for governor of New York.

Cuomo, who is seeking a third term, was first elected in 2010 by a margin of 28 percentage points and was re-elected by a margin of 14 percentage points in 2014. New York has not elected a Republican governor since electing George Pataki (R) in 2002.

Third party and independent candidates include retired United Parcel Service worker Howie Hawkins (Green Party), former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner (I), and business consultant Larry Sharpe (L).

Democrats and Republicans have long courted the disciplined strength of the Hasidic “bloc” vote, a reliable ally for governors in political need.

Voters in certain areas, most specifically Kiryas Joel, New Square, and parts of Monsey, cast their ballots almost universally for a single candidate. But there’s more. Voter registration there is high. Those voters show up, often with more than 80 percent turnout even in non-presidential election years.