De Blasio, the city's public advocate who has campaigned on addressing income inequality, expanding access to pre-kindergarten and fighting the closure of community hospitals, has been the clear favorite since clinching the Democratic nomination in September. If elected, he will succeed Michael Bloomberg.
Lhota, a deputy mayor under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and later the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, insists he is the candidate of change and that de Blasio will lead the city back to its dark days of high crime and poor fiscal management.
"There's only one poll that counts and it's the one that closes at 9 p.m," Lhota said at a Monday campaign appearance.
A Marist poll released on Monday had de Blasio leading Lhota 65 percent to 24 percent among likely voters.
