WORLD> America
New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-04 13:19

New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg exits a voting booth in New York November 3, 2009. [Agencies] New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term

NEW YORK: New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who engineered a change in the city's term-limits law so he could run again and set a record for financing his campaign, narrowly won a third term on Tuesday, local media declared.

Bloomberg defeated City Comptroller Bill Thompson, a Democrat, according to The New York Times, the Daily News and NY1 television.

With 96 percent of the votes counted, Bloomberg was ahead 51 to 46 percent.

Related readings:
New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term NY's Bloomberg wants to train laid-off Wall Streeters
New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term Bloomberg to seek law change for 3rd term
New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term Bloomberg wants 3rd term as NYC mayor
New York Mayor Bloomberg narrowly wins third term NY Mayor Bloomberg weighs 2008 run
His margin was far smaller than expected, given polls that showed him as recently as Monday with a double-digit lead and expectations of a large, lopsided victory.

Bloomberg vastly outspent his challenger, laying out $13 for every $1 spent by Thompson. Bloomberg is described by Forbes magazine as the richest man in New York, with a $16 billion fortune.

He has spent almost $90 million on his re-election bid and is on track to spend an estimated $110 million to $140 million overall. Thompson spent $7 million.

Some political observers said New York voters may have been soured by Bloomberg's success in getting the city's term-limits law amended on his behalf. Others said Bloomberg supporters may have been lulled by his strong polling numbers and did not turn out in large numbers at the polls.

Official numbers were not yet calculated but turnout appeared low. Some 4.2 million New Yorkers are registered voters.

In arguing that he should be allowed to run for a third term, which the city council allowed by amending the law, Bloomberg said his financial acumen was needed to guide New York through hard economic times.

A former partner at Salomon Brothers, he founded Bloomberg LP, a news and information company that competes with Thomson Reuters.

Bloomberg has pledged, if reelected, to cut crime further, reduce the city's carbon emissions, expand mass transit, increase city parkland, improve schools, add affordable housing and diversify the local economy.

"In 2013, New Yorkers will be working in the country's most diverse economy - less dependent than ever on Wall Street, and more hospitable than ever to small businesses," he said in a speech laying out his agenda late last month.

In a mayoral debate last month, Bloomberg said: "I think it's more of the same, making sure that we continue the things, making sure that we expand the universe of people that benefit from those things."