Mr. Koch, who earlier in the race had polled 2%, harnessed a so-called "blackout backlash" to defeat incumbentmayor Abraham Beame and archrival Mario Cuomo and win the election.
Patriks Skuratovs, a 19-year-year old student, said he voted for Harmony Center politicians because the incumbentmayor "has made life better for people in the city, " including making public transportation for students free.