New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's influence will be tested at the ballot box, since he endorsed and even cut an ad for his three preferred candidates that ran during the Knicks playoff games. He also spoke at a rally over the weekend on behalf of the three. Voters in Manhattan's wealthy and powerful 12th District will also be selecting a Democratic nominee. 

Voters in Utah and Maryland are casting votes in primaries in their states, too. Here are the key races to watch:   

New York's 10th District

During last year's mayoral election, Mamdani and former New York City Comptroller Brad Lander cross-endorsed each other during the ranked-choice voting process. After Mamdani's win, Lander threw his hat in the ring to challenge incumbent Rep. Dan Goldman, who served as one of the Democrats' lawyers in their first effort to impeach President Trump.

Goldman won the district, which includes Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, in 2022 after a crowded, expensive Democratic primary. (An heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, he is one of the wealthiest members of Congress.) But since then, Goldman has advocated for more support for Israel than other progressive Democrats, which Lander said inspired him to run. Both Lander and Goldman are Jewish, but their differing views on Israel's actions in Gaza have made this one of the dominant issues in the race.

Mamdani is backing Lander, as are Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are supporting Goldman. 

Polling has shown Lander has an edge going into the primary, though such surveys may be inconsistent. The district is heavily Democratic, so the winner of Tuesday's primary is favored to win in November. 

New York's 7th District

Nydia Velázquez, the first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, announced last year that she would retire at the end of this term, her 16th. In her retirement announcement, she took note of Mamdani's victory, saying, "Americans are hungry for change." 

Her district, which encompasses parts of western Brooklyn and Queens, is part of what's been nicknamed the "Commie Corridor," given its leftward tilt. Her chosen successor is Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who is also a progressive. 

But Mamdani, who served in the state Assembly representing a nearby Queens district, is backing another Democrat, Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, a fellow democratic socialist.

The race has turned into a proxy fight pitting the established progressive wing of the Democratic Party against the democratic socialists. An Emerson College/Pix11 poll from May showed a tight race.

New York's 13th District

In the 13th District, which encompasses Upper Manhattan, Mamdani is backing democratic socialist Darializa Avila Chevalier, who was one of his field organizers, against incumbent Rep. Adriano Espaillat.

Espaillat, 71 and the first formerly undocumented immigrant to serve in the House, was not initially considered to face any serious risk from a primary challenger. He's been in Congress since 2017 and is the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. In the 2025 mayor's race, he first backed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and then quickly endorsed Mamdani after the primary. 

Mamdani's endorsement of Avila Chevalier, 32, shocked the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. The New York Times reported that Mamdani had agreed last year to back Espaillat. Hochul, Jeffries and New York Attorney General Letitia James are supporting Espaillat.

In a debate, Espaillat raised some of Chevalier's now-deleted social media posts, including one in which she said "f*** Kamala Harris." She has since apologized.

New York's 12th District

Longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler is retiring, opening up the seat in one of the nation's wealthiest districts, encompassing Midtown Manhattan and the Upper East and West Sides. In the crowded race, Nadler has endorsed state Assemblyman Micah Lasher, a former aide of his who also has the backing of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. Hochul. 

The other main contenders are New York Assemblyman Alex Bores, who is running on a platform to regulate artificial intelligence; former Republican turned Trump antagonist George Conway, who says he'll only serve one term in order to impeach Mr. Trump; and political newcomer Jack Schlossberg, John F. Kennedy's telegenic grandson and social media star. 

Independent polling shows either Lasher or Bores leading, but given the likely low turnout, the outcome is uncertain. It's been an expensive race, with $26 million in ad spending, according to AdImpact. 

Given the district's strong Democratic leaning, the winner on Tuesday is favored to win in November. Mamdani, now living in Gracie Mansion, resides in the district and confirmed he voted — but he hasn't revealed who received his vote. 

New York's 17th District

Five Democrats are vying for the chance to take on Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in New York's 17th District, which includes parts of Westchester County and the Hudson Valley. Leading the field are former Biden administration cybersecurity expert Cait Conley, Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson and progressive Tarrytown Village Trustee Effie Phillips-Staley.

Lawler is one of only three Republicans representing a district that Kamala Harris won in the 2024 presidential race, making it a key target for Democrats. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up, and Mr. Trump has campaigned in the district for Lawler. 

"It's hard to say any one district is a 'must win,' but this one is certainly close to it," Cook Political Report's Erin Covey told CBS New York earlier this month.

New York's 21st District

The bitter GOP primary in northern New York's 21st Congressional District pits Anthony Constantino, a Trump-backed businessman and political newcomer, against Robert Smullen, a state assemblyman who has the support of the state GOP and other local Republicans. The primary could be another window into Mr. Trump's sway in the primaries.

Constantino and Smullen are vying to replace GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik, who was initially Mr. Trump's pick for ambassador to the United Nations before he pulled the nomination, asking her to remain in Congress to help the House hold the party's razor-thin majority. She later announced a bid for governor, but exited the race after Mr. Trump declined to endorse her. She has not endorsed in the race.

The primary has become increasingly tense, with the candidates accusing one another of defamation and threatening to sue each other over claims made during the campaign.

Utah's 1st District 

Four candidates are competing in the Democratic primary in Utah's newly redrawn 1st Congressional District, which encompasses Salt Lake City and its suburbs — a seat that could help determine the House majority in November.

A Democrat hasn't been elected to represent Utah in the House since 2018. The new maps made the 1st Congressional District, which is currently held by Republican Rep. Blake Moore, more favorable to Democrats. The University of Virginia's Sabato's Crystal Ball considers the seat a safe pickup for Democrats.

The last Democrat to represent Utah in Congress, former Rep. Ben McAdams, is one of the four candidates vying for the seat. He's up against state Sen. Nate Blouin, political newcomer and Utah Democratic convention winner Liban Mohamed, and tax attorney Michael Farrell.

South Carolina governor Republican runoff

None of the seven Republicans running in South Carolina's GOP primary for governor earlier this month was able to secure 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff. Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette led the field with 29% of the vote, while Attorney General Alan Wilson finished close behind with 26%, setting up the two-way runoff between the top candidates.

Originally, Evette entered the contest with significant political momentum behind her. Both Gov. Henry McMaster and Mr. Trump threw their support behind the lieutenant governor, with the president calling her a "good friend, fighter, and WINNER." He also posted on Truth Social on May 29: "Pam has my Complete and Total Endorsement — SHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!"

On Friday, Mr. Trump posted on social media that he will be endorsing both candidates in this race. He wrote: "I can't hurt one of them by only endorsing the other, so, therefore, I am going to endorse, for Governor of South Carolina, both Pam Evette and Alan Wilson!" 

This new endorsement comes after Wilson picked up momentum in the polls with a lead over Evette. It also comes after these past weeks when Mr. Trump's previous endorsements in two other gubernatorial primaries did not result in wins. Wilson also won the endorsement of Rep. Nancy Mace, who had also been running in the primary but did not advance to the runoff. 

McMaster is term-limited out of office. The South Carolina governor's position has been held by a Republican for the last 23 years and the seat is reliably red, making the runoff a pivotal contest in determining who will lead South Carolina. The winner of Tuesday's contest will take on Democrat Jermaine Johnson, who won his primary outright on June 9.

Maryland's 5th District

After having served in the House for almost 45 years, Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer decided not to run for reelection. This has led to a competitive primary with 23 Democratic candidates vying for the seat. 

Hoyer has endorsed his previous campaign manager, Adrian Boafo, who is currently a Prince George's County Democratic delegate. Hoyer described Boafo as "as warm as he is smart, as principled as he is pragmatic." Boafo has also been endorsed by other prominent Democrats, including Gov. Wes Moore and Sen. Angela Alsobrooks.

Other leading candidates include Harry Dunn, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer who was present during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Dunn has been endorsed by Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who issued a statement calling him "a true American hero and exactly the right person to represent Maryland in Congress." 

Also on the ballot is Quincy Bareebe, who has a thin political career but a lengthy background as an entrepreneur. Bareebe is the CEO of a local healthcare company that specializes in home care and assisted living. Bareebe has largely self-funded her $5.7 million campaign, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Maryland governor's race

Multiple candidates are on the ballot in Maryland's Republican primary to face off against incumbent Gov. Wes Moore in November. 

Moore, who faces a primary challenger on Tuesday as well, won in 2022 with 65% of the vote and has maintained steady approval ratings throughout his first term.  

Republican Dan Cox, who is running again this cycle, lost to Moore by 32 points in 2022. In that race, Cox secured an endorsement from Mr. Trump, who called him "MAGA all the way." Mr. Trump has not yet made an endorsement in this year's race. 

Also on the ballot is Ed Hale, a former Democrat who thought it would be a "pragmatic choice" to switch affiliations and run against Cox in the GOP primary. Cox has heavily criticized the move on social media. 

Cox says he is concerned about inflation and the national debt in Maryland, and that he believes in protecting the American Dream and "securing our borders to combat deadly increases in fentanyl trafficking." Hale says he wants to freeze taxes to encourage competition and focus on economic growth, "fully fund law enforcement," and reduce reliance on federal funding. With no public polling available, it's unclear which candidate is favored to win. 

Moore, widely considered a 2028 presidential hopeful, faces a Democratic challenger, Eric Felber, on Tuesday, although Moore is likely to secure the nomination.

She said it's not just an effort to prevent drownings.

Principal hopes to provide opportunity she didn't have herself

When Jamie Hendrickson learned to swim as an adult, she found herself taking lessons alongside children.

"I learned to swim in my early 40s, and I swam and learned with 8-year-olds. So looking at how they navigated the water within weeks, I said it makes sense for us to get our students in the water," said Hendrickson, principal of Meyer Levin School for the Performing Arts in East Flatbush.

The experience inspired Hendrickson to launch a partnership swim program using the high school's newly renovated pool with two colleagues:  Sanatha Alexis, principal of Cultural Academy for the Arts and Sciences, and Linton Atkinson, principal of Richard R. Green Elementary School.

The goal is to provide students with access to swimming instruction, both during and after the school day, that Hendrickson said was unavailable to her growing up.

"I grew up in the projects. I grew up in East New York. We didn't have access to the pool. My parents did not take us to the beach," she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14. The CDC also reports that for Black people younger than 30, drowning rates are 1.5 times higher than for White people of the same age.  

But for Hendrickson, the program is about more than water safety.

"It made sense to capture them early in elementary school, get them over their fear of water," she told Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger. "They'll love to swim in middle school. And as we continue to build out the initiative, they'll learn to swim and become lifeguards."

"You just feel, like, free"

Since the start of the year, certified instructors have been teaching students swimming fundamentals and water safety skills.

"It's really risky to go in a pool or a beach without learning how to swim," said 13-year-old Wynter Williams.

"People who do know how to swim might help the people who don't know how to swim," 12-year old Crissan Broadbelt said.

Students realize this is an opportunity that would otherwise be unavailable to them. 

"I'd never been to a school, or heard of a school, that takes you to a different school to swim," said 13-year-old Chelsea Toussaint.

As New York City students head into summer vacation this week, participants say they are eager to put their new skills to use during the season's hottest days.

"You just feel, like, free," said 13-year-old Jasmine Clement.

"It's also like exercise, so that's good, too," Toussaint added.

The program's organizers hope the initiative will continue expanding next school year.

Have a story idea or tip in Brooklyn? Email Hannah by CLICKING HERE.

Across the borough, entrepreneurs have been pairing laundromats with amenities such as bars, coffee shops, live music venues and hangout spots, hoping to make laundry day more enjoyable while creating a sense of community.

Improving your least favorite chore

At Pearl Lee's Washtub in Brooklyn, customers can do more than wash their clothes. The business combines a laundromat with a bar and entertainment venue, hosting monthly live music and comedy events.

"We had a customer move out of the neighborhood, and they had their going away parties here," said Kirk Kennedy, general manager of the family-owned business named after their matriarch.

Kennedy said the concept was designed to improve an experience that few people enjoy.

"The majority of people don't like doing the laundry. It's like the worst chore ever," he tells Brooklyn reporter Hannah Kliger. "To give ... our customer base an outlet to do something else without leaving the laundromat, that's our goal, to keep you here."

The concept resonates in New York City, where many residents live in apartments without in-unit washers and dryers and must leave home to do their laundry.

Park Slope resident Uma Mahto said the added amenities make the task more appealing.

"More compelled to sit here and work. Makes it easier to do laundry," Mahto said.

Do your laundry, have a latte

In Downtown Brooklyn, Laundry & Latte combines a laundromat with a coffee shop. Owner and founder J.R. Dumas said the idea came after he visited roughly 100 laundromats throughout the city and noticed opportunities to improve the customer experience.

"Laundromats ... still are operating with coin and nowhere to sit. And no customer service," he said, hoping to create a "third space" concept where people can meet over a cup of coffee. 

The business is part of a larger trend washing over Brooklyn, with laundromats increasingly paired with gathering spaces designed to help customers make better use of their time while waiting for their clothes.

Brooklyn Heights resident Olivia Winck said the setup works well for those hoping to squeeze wash day into their lunch break.

"I have a remote job, so it makes sense for me to come, bring my laptop," she said.

"People coming here have a sense or feeling like they waste their time ... While they're waiting, having a coffee was something obvious to me that should go together with a laundromat," Dumas said.

A spin cycle, it seems, can also come with a side of community.

Have a story idea or tip in Brooklyn? Email Hannah by CLICKING HERE.

And with five more matches scheduled to be held in East Rutherford, New Jersey, including the Ecuador-Germany match on Thursday afternoon and the tournament's final on July 19, local establishments are fearful the situation may get worse before it gets better.

"People cannot come to the restaurant"

The Carnegie Diner & Cafe in Secaucus got all decked out for the world's biggest sporting event, with the owner hoping local matches would be a financial boom. However, he says not only are tourists not coming, but regular customers are staying away on game days.

"People cannot come to the restaurant. All the major routes are closed. Our entrance from Route 3 is closed. You have to come from the side streets," Stathis Atonakopoules said.

The restaurant was seeing a steady stream of customers on Tuesday, but during World Cup matches our Chopper 2 and cameras captured gridlock on roadways around the stadium and the American Dream mall.

Fort Lee resident Gene Bazzarelli said he and his family are now planning their lives around the tournament.

"We are here today because we finally have a family day. I knew the match was yesterday. I knew I would avoid any of that traffic from yesterday, so we decide to come today," Bazzarelli said.

Many diners told CBS News New York they try to avoid the area and hunker down on match days.

"The traffic is an absolute [nightmare] right now with game days, so our office has actually made the decision to stay closed on game days. So yesterday we all just worked from home to avoid the traffic," Jersey City resident Andrea Zuppa said.

Ashley Jacobs of West Milford was asked if the diner is normally busy.

"Yes, definitely, from all hours of the day, too," Jacobs said.

No-parking policy at MetLife to blame, diner owner says

Atonakopoules blames the traffic problems on the no-parking policy at the stadium, which is more than five miles away from his restaurant.

"We believe it's an artificial gridlock that's created. We've been through many sold-out events at MetLife Stadium and we never had these issues," he said.

Redd's Restaurant and Bar in Carlstadt is taking advantage of World Cup matches by shuttling tourists back and forth from the American Dream mall.

State police and NJ Transit officials call the tournament a high-security event, saying that's why stadium parking isn't allowed and ticket holders have to use mass transit, buses or rideshares.

Carriage drivers spent days going over safety rules and protocols in response to the death of Romanch Mahajan, who was fatally injured on a ride through the park with his family. 

Horse carriage drivers end temporary pause

TWU Local 100, the union representing carriage drivers, called for the temporary shutdown after the collision last Wednesday. Drivers went through refresher training and safety checks, the union said. 

"We've taken unprecedented steps in order to make sure that our business continues to be the safest form of transportation in Midtown Manhattan," said TWU Local 100 shop steward Christina Hansen. 

A major part of the training centered on properly tethering and securing the horse when the driver is not in the carriage. 

"Emphasizing most notable the importance of there never being passengers in the carriage unless there is a driver in the box with the lines in their hand," Hansen said. 

The union said last week's accident reinforced their long-standing fight for hitching posts in Central Park to prevent future accidents when horses get startled and run off, which they believe is what happened in Mahajan's death. 

Renewed calls for horse carriage ban

Mahajan and his family were visiting from India when, according to police, their driver stepped off the carriage to take a photo of them and the horse suddenly bolted, throwing Mahajan onto the pavement.

The incident renewed calls from local leaders and animal activists who have long pushed for a ban on the century-old business in New York City. 

"We are outraged and bewildered that the City is allowing these rides to resume. The carriage industry itself has spent the past week insisting that major changes are needed to operate safely, yet these rides are already back on the streets," said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets, which is pushing to permanently end the city's horse carriage industry.

"This is a knee-jerk reaction to the worst possible scenario that they were warned about, and they never cared. Suddenly they care?" said Michael Petrelli, with Equine Advocacy Alliance. 

The horse, named Sampson, is stabled and said to be doing OK, but is unlikely to return to pulling carriages. The investigation into exactly what caused the horse to stray is ongoing. 

"We do not know what spooked the horse. This was not something that was typical for this horse or really for any of our horses. So, we are, again, trying to figure out exactly what happened," said Hansen. 

The driver involved has been suspended indefinitely.

Legislation to ban horse-drawn carriages, recently renamed "Romanch's Law," will be at the center of a City Council hearing in July.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office announced three generations of Bayport women played a role in 7-year-old Jor'Dynn Duncan's death.

Prosecutors say Emily Kelly, 50, abused and tortured Jor'Dynn dating back to January 2025. 

Kelly is now facing second-degree murder and other related charges. Her mother, 75-year-old Barbara Renner, was also indicted for second-degree manslaughter. Kelly's daughter, 24-year-old Elyssa Seymore, was indicted for first-degree unlawful imprisonment and other related charges.

District Attorney Raymond Tierney called it a "brutal murder of a defenseless, innocent child who was placed in their care."

"This was not an alleged single act of violence. It was months of alleged systematic cruelty and sadistic abuse, meticulously documented. The child was allegedly left to die while these defendants watched her," a statement read. 

The women pleaded not guilty.   

"That requires cruel and wickedness. We don't think that this conduct of my client even comes close to what is defined as depraved indifference," Kelly's attorney John Loturco said. "The fact that she's charged along with her mother and her daughter is shocking to her." 

Emotions run high in court

Emotions ran high in court Tuesday morning at a hearing to make sure both sides exchanged necessary information and were preparing for the next phase of the case. 

The courtroom was packed with heartbroken supporters wanting justice for Jor'Dynn as each woman stood silent in front of the judge. 

"How could this child have all these things going on and nobody see it? What are they, blind?" said David Cosby, a family friend. 

Cameras were not allowed after the defendants' attorneys argued the public seeing them in jail clothes and handcuffs would harm their defense.

The child's family compiled a legal team to investigate what went wrong. 

"Those who were assigned to protect her, didn't, and that's why we're here," said Heather Palmore, the attorney for Jor'Dynn's mother. 

What happened to Jor'Dynn Duncan?

Prosecutors said Jor'Dynn was placed in the care of Kelly, her incarcerated father's fiancée. Kelly requested to take care of Jor'Dynn starting in December 2024. She gained full custody and guardianship in April 2025 with, sources said, her fiancé's approval. 

Investigators say Kelly routinely tied up and tortured Jor'Dynn and documented the abuse on her cellphone with photos and videos.

The district attorney's office said the little girl missed about 40 days of school between January and June 2025. Investigators believe her absences were due to the abuse, but in each case, Kelly provided an excuse.

On Dec. 29, 2025, Kelly called 911 to report that Jor'Dynn was in cardiac arrest. She was unconscious when paramedics arrived and was pronounced dead at the hospital, officials said. 

Prosecutors said an autopsy found Jor'Dynn suffered approximately 90 sharp force injuries at the time of her death. The cause of death was determined to be an untreated infection of the wounds.

"We wish we knew" 

Jor'Dynn's godmother spoke exclusively with CBS News New York in May.

Alisha Case said Kelly kept her and other loved ones away from the little girl. She said they only saw Jor'Dynn a handful of times during 2025. 

"We wish we knew," Case said. "We had a feeling, but so much was hidden, and now we know."  

Suffolk County lawmakers called for a full review of the case, since schools are expected to contact Child Protective Services when there are repeated, unexplained absences and warning signs.

Ed Romaine, the county executive, previously said CPS had minimal involvement. 

"It's not a failure of CPS, and the child's placement was done by a judge," Romaine said. "As the case is prosecuted, we will act on any information that comes out that suggests to us that improvements can be made."  

Sources said school officials did not and were not required to report the absences to authorities without suspicions of abuse. 

The Department of Sanitation said Tuesday workers hauled away 75,260 pounds of confetti, streamers and litter, "the largest amount collected following a ticker-tape parade in recent memory."

The NYPD estimated more than 2 million people went to Lower Manhattan to celebrate the 2026 NBA championship, making it one of the largest parades ever in the Canyon of Heroes. 

DSNY said about 650 workers cleaned up Broadway and the surrounding streets. 

"Just as OG tipped the winning basket at Game 4, New York's Strongest tipped winning litter baskets into collection trucks all night Thursday into Friday, and our truck scales affirm what a massive party this was for the championship Knicks," DSNY Commissioner Gregory Anderson said.

For comparison, the New York Liberty's WNBA title parade had just over 40,400 pounds of confetti and litter.

Here are the DSNY totals from the last four ticker-tape parades:

• October 2024, NY Liberty, 40,460 pounds
• July 2021, Hometown Heroes, 21,460 pounds
• July 2019, Women's World Cup, 52,740 pounds
• July 2015, Women's World Cup, 59,280 pounds

Polls opened at 6 a.m. across the five boroughs and will stay open until 9 p.m.

The New York City Board of Election said a total of 330,115 voters had checked in as of 3 p.m. That includes early voting, which saw low turnout this year. 

The election could change how New York is represented in Washington, D.C. Key races include choosing the Democratic candidates for House seats up for election in November. 

• Read more: How to vote in New York's 2026 primary election

Races to watch out for

Two high-profile races are in Congressional Districts 12 and 17. 

In Manhattan's 12th Congressional District, eight Democrats are running to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler. Some of the notable candidates are state Assemblymen Alex Bores and Micah Lasher, attorney and Donald Trump critic George Conway, and former President John F. Kennedy's grandson Jack Schlossberg.

In the state's northern suburbs, five Democrats are hoping to run against Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler in the 17th Congressional District. Notable names include former cybersecurity expert and veteran Cait Conley and Rockland County Legislator Beth Davidson. 

The only statewide seat on the ballot is for state comptroller. Five-term incumbent Tom DiNapoli is facing his first-ever primary challenge after almost 20 years in office. 

Mamdani backs a number of candidates

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also trying to reshape the city's congressional delegation by backing a slate of left-wing challengers. All 63 state Senate and 150 state Assembly seats are up for election.  

In the 7th Congressional District, Mamdani is backing Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, who is vying to take over retiring Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez's seat. Velazquez, however, has endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.  

In the 10th Congressional District, the mayor endorsed former city comptroller Brad Lander over incumbent Dan Goldman. Gov. Kathy Hochul endorsed Goldman. 

In NY-13, Mamdani has thrown his support behind political organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who is aiming to unseat five-term Representative Adriano Espaillat.

New Yorkers encourage residents to vote

Sandra Berg, 92, voted on the Upper East Side. 

"Voting is going to help us change what we need to have changed," she said. 

Resident Gordon Parola said voting is important because he has been affected by government policy. 

"I used to work in global health and international development, and, for one, the closure of USAID has affected me," he said.

Click here to find your poll site and view a sample ballot for your district.

The first note demanded millions in bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie's release. In the second note, sent a few days later, the apparent abductors revealed that Nancy Guthrie had died. The note indicated that they did not mean for her to die, according to sources who reviewed the notes. 

Her daughter, "Today" show co-host  Savannah Guthrie, said in an interview with NBC in March that the family believes the two notes are authentic. 

"There are a lot of different notes, I think, that came, and I think most of them — it's my understanding — are not real, and I didn't see them," she said. "But I believe the two notes that we received, that we responded to, I tend to believe those are real."

The first note, sent on Feb. 2, one day after Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, was sent to three media outlets — two local news stations and TMZ — via their online tip lines. That note gave highly specific details about Guthrie's home, including that an Apple Watch with a white band was on the floor of her bedroom and that her back porch light was broken, according to investigators. The note was addressed to Savannah Guthrie, according to multiple sources familiar with the note.

The second note was sent on Feb. 6 and was similar in language and style but did not make any demands, according to sources who reviewed both notes.

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings publicly addressed their mother's kidnappers in an Instagram video posted after the second note was sent.

"We received your message and we understand," Savannah Guthrie said in the video. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. ... This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."

In emotional remarks on the "Today" show Tuesday, she declined to comment on reports about the ransom notes and once again urged anyone with information to share what they know. 

"This is unprecedented, to say the least, to be sitting here. But I don't have any comment on this story and I'm not involved in our coverage," she said.

"I want to take the opportunity to ask people — to really beg people — to come forward. Somebody knows something," she continued. "We are in agony and we cannot be at peace. ... We need your help. We are begging for your help."

The FBI tip line is 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The Guthrie family is offering a reward of $1 million, on top of the FBI's reward of up to $100,000.

A task force made up of FBI and Pima County detectives continues to investigate her kidnapping and search for Nancy Guthrie and her abductors.