Bill de Blasio and family
Democrat Bill de Blasio with his wife, Chirlane McCray, and children Dante and Chiara after voting in Brooklyn Nov. 5, 2013. Reuters

Update 10:55 p.m. EST: With 19 percent of the vote counted, de Blasio had 71.5 percent to Lhota's 26.2 percent.

Original story:

Democrat Bill de Blasio has been elected mayor of New York City over Republican Joe Lhota, the New York Times, CNN other media projected minutes after the polls closed at 9 p.m. Tuesday, based on exit polls.

De Blasio, currently the public advocate, will become the city’s first Democratic mayor since David Dinkins, who defeated by Rudolph Giuliani in 1993.