Zohran Mamdani, 34, was elected New York City’s newest mayor last month, becoming the first Muslim, first South Asian, and first Africa-born person to lead the city. His win marks a major demographic shift in the city’s political history, and he is set to be sworn in January 2026 as the 111th mayor.

However, new historical research suggests he may technically be the 112th. Historian Paul Hortenstine uncovered that Matthias Nicolls — long recorded as NYC’s sixth mayor — actually served two non-consecutive terms in the 1670s. By standard counting practices, those should be considered separate mayoralties, similar to how U.S. presidents with split terms are numbered.

Because Nicolls’ second term was never counted, every mayor after him has been assigned a number one too low. Historian Peter R. Christoph raised this issue back in 1989, but the numbering was never corrected. Mamdani’s authority and administration are unaffected; only the ceremonial numbering would change.

It remains unclear whether the city will officially update its historical records. Still, the discovery adds an unexpected twist to Mamdani’s already historic inauguration and highlights the complex, sometimes imperfect nature of New York’s political lineage.