This election was held in connection with the consolidation of the City of Greater New York, which passed a public referendum on December 14, 1894, and was to be effective January 1, 1898.

Incumbent mayor William L. Strong was not a candidate for re-election to a second term in office.

The multipolar race featured chief justice of the City Court Robert A.

Van Wyck, Columbia University president Seth Low, former U.S. secretary of the Navy Benjamin F. Tracy, and tax reformer Henry George.

Van Wyck won the race with a plurality of the vote, followed by Low and Tracy.