Speaker of the New York State Assembly

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The Speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party.

As in most Anglo-Saxon countries and provinces, the speaker presides over the lower house of the legislature. Although the position exists in nearly every U.S. state, and in the U.S. House of Representatives, New York's Assembly Speaker is very powerful. Effectively, the Speaker of the New York Assembly has the power to control much of the business in the Assembly.

Contents

[edit] List of Speakers

[edit] Note

Originally, the legislative term lasted one year, from July 1 until June 30 of the next year. The members were elected at the state election in April, but the actual session began ordinarily only in January of the next calendar year which leads occasionally to some confusion. Only if the governor called for a special session, the Assembly convened earlier. For example, in presidential election years the Assembly convened already in November to elect the presidential electors. The speaker was always elected at the first meeting of the Assembly for the remainder of the term, expiring on June 30.

The State Constitution of 1821 moved the election to November, and the beginning of the term to January 1, and from 1823 on the legislative term coincides with the calendar year. The assembly convened usually on the first Tuesday in January and elected the speaker, who staid in office until December 31.

The State Constitution of 1938 extended the assemblymen's term to two years. The elections are held in even years.

[edit] From 1777 to 1822

  • (1st Session, convened at Kingston and Poughkeepsie) September 1, 1777 - June 30, 1778 Walter Livingston from Albany County [1]
  • (2nd S., at Poughkeepsie) October 13, 1778 - June 30, 1779 Walter Livingston from Albany County
  • (3rd S., at Kingston and Albany) August 18, 1779 - July 2, 1780 Evert Bancker from New York County
  • (4th S., at Poughkeepsie and Albany) September 7, 1780 - July 1, 1781 Evert Bancker from New York County
  • (5th S., at Poughkeepsie) October 24, 1781 - June 30, 1782 Evert Bancker from New York County
  • (6th S., at Poughkeepsie and Kingston) July 11, 1782 - June 30, 1783 Evert Bancker from New York County
  • (7th S.) January 21 - June 30, 1784 John Hathorn from Orange County
  • (8th S., at New York City) October 12, 1784 - June 30, 1785 David Gelston from Suffolk County [2]
  • (9th S., at New York City) January 12 - June 30, 1786 John Lansing, Jr. from Albany County
  • (10th S., at New York City) January 12 - June 30, 1787 Richard Varick from New York County
  • (11th S., at Poughkeepsie) January 9 - June 30, 1788 Richard Varick from New York County
  • (12th S., at Albany) December 11, 1788 - June 30, 1789 John Lansing, Jr. from Albany County
  • (13th S., at Albany and New York City) July 6, 1789 - June 30, 1790 Gulian Verplanck (Fed.) from New York County
  • (14th S., at New York City) January 5 - June 30, 1791 John Watts from New York County
  • (15th S., at New York City) January 4 - June 30, 1792 John Watts from New York County
  • (16th S., at New York City) November 6, 1792 - June 30, 1793 John Watts from New York County
  • (17th S., at Albany) January 7 - June 30, 1794 James Watson, (Fed.} from New York County
  • (18th S., at Poughkeepsie and New York City) January 6 - June 30, 1795 William North (Fed.) of Albany County
  • (19th S., at New York City) January 6 - June 30, 1796 William North (Fed.) of Albany County
  • (20th S., at New York City and Albany) November 1, 1796 - June 30, 1797 Gulian Verplanck (Fed.) from New York [3]
  • (21st S.) January 2 - June 30, 1798 Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.) of Albany County
  • (22nd S.) August 9, 1798 - June 30, 1799 Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.) of Albany County
  • (23rd S.) January 28 - June 30, 1800 Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.) of Albany County
  • (24th S.) November 4, 1800 - June 30, 1801 Samuel Osgood, from New York County
  • (25th S.) January 26 - June 30, 1802 Thomas Storm from New York County
  • (26th S.) January 25 - June 30, 1803 Thomas Storm from New York County
  • (27th S.) January 31 - June 30, 1804 Alexander Sheldon from Montgomery County
  • (28th S.) November 6, 1804 - June 30, 1805 Alexander Sheldon from Montgomery County
  • (29th S.) January 28 - June 30, 1806 Alexander Sheldon (Clintonian) from Montgomery County
  • (30th S.) January 27 - June 30, 1807 Andrew McCord (Lewisite) from Orange County
  • (31st S.) January 26 - June 30, 1808 Alexander Sheldon from Montgomery County
  • (32nd S.) November 1, 1808 - June 30, 1809 James W. Wilkin from Orange County
  • (33rd S.) January 30 - June 30, 1810 William North from Schenectady County
  • (34th S., part) January 29 - February 12, 1811 Nathan Sanford from New York County (failed to attend session because of illness)
  • (34th S., part) February 12 - June 30, 1811 William Ross (Dem.-Rep.) from Orange County
  • (35th S.) January 28 - June 30, 1812 Alexander Sheldon, from Montgomery County
  • (36th S.) November 3, 1812 - June 30, 1813 Jacob R. Van Rensselaer (Fed.), from Columbia County
  • (37th S.) January 25 - June 30, 1814 James Emott (Fed.) from Dutchess County
  • (38th S.) September 26, 1814 - June 30, 1815 Samuel Young from Saratoga County
  • (39th S.) January 30 - June 30, 1816 Daniel Cruger from Steuben County
  • (40th S.) November 5, 1816 - June 30, 1817 David Woods from Washington County
  • (41st S.) January 27 - June 30, 1818 David Woods from Madison County
  • (42nd S.) January 6 - June 30, 1819 Obadiah German from Chenango County [4]
  • (43rd S.) January 4 - June 30, 1820 John Canfield Spencer from Ontario County
  • (44th S.) November 7, 1820 - June 30, 1821 Peter Sharpe (Dem.-Rep./Tammany Hall) from New York County
  • (45th S.) January 3 - December 31, 1822 Samuel B. Romaine (Dem.-Rep./Tammany Hall) from New York County (The assemblymen of this session were elected in April 1821 under the provisions of the State Contitution of 1777 for a term beginning on July 1, 1821 and expiring on June 30, 1822. The State Constitution of 1821, ratified by the voters in February 1822, provided for their remaining in office until December 31, 1822, the next session's members being elected in November 1822 for a term beginning on January 1, 1823.

[edit] From 1823 to 1892

[edit] since 1893

Speaker Party Start of service End of service Birthyear-Death Notes
William Sulzer Democratic January, 1893 December 31, 1893 (1863-1941) Later U.S. Congressman & Governor
George R. Malby Republican January, 1894 December 31, 1894 (1857-1912) Later U.S. Congressman
Hamilton Fish II Republican January, 1895 December 31, 1896 (1849-1936) Later U.S. Congressman, Son of U.S. Secretary of State Fish, Father & Grandfather of Congressmembers
James M. E. O'Grady Republican January 5, 1897 December 31, 1898 (1863-1928) Later U.S. Congressman
S. Frederick Nixon Republican January, 1899 October 10, 1905 (1860-1905) Died in office
James W. Wadsworth, Jr. Republican January, 1906 December 31, 1910 (1877-1952) Later U.S. Senator & Congressman
Daniel D. Frisbie Democratic January 4, 1911 December 31, 1911 (?-1931)
Edwin A. Merritt, Jr. Republican January 3, 1912 November 5, 1912 (1860-1914) Elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of George R. Malby, took his seat in Congress on Nov 5, 1912
Alfred E. Smith Democratic January, 1913 December 31, 1913 (1873-1944) Later Governor and 1928 Presidential Nominee
Thaddeus C. Sweet Republican January 7, 1914 December 31, 1920 (1872-1928) Later U.S. Congressman
H. Edmund Machold Republican January 5, 1921 December 31, 1924 (1880-1967)
Joseph A. McGinnies Republican January 7, 1925 December 31, 1934 (1861-1945)
Irwin Steingut Democratic January 2, 1935 December 31, 1935 (1891-1952) Father of Spkr. Stanley Steingut
Irving Ives Republican January 1, 1936 December 31, 1936 (1896-1962) Later U.S. Senator
Oswald D. Heck Republican January 13, 1937 May 21, 1959 (1902-1959) Longest-serving Speaker, Died in office
Joseph Carlino Republican May 21, 1959 December 31, 1964 (1917-2006) Acting Speaker upon the death of Oswald D. Heck, elected Speaker on July 1, 1959
Anthony J. Travia Democratic February 4, 1965 July 19, 1968 (1911-1993) Resigned and appointed Federal Judge
Moses M. Weinstein Democratic July 19, 1968 December 31, 1968 (1919-2007) Acting Speaker upon Spkr. Travia's resignation, elected Speaker on July 23, 1968
Perry B. Duryea, Jr. Republican January 8, 1969 December 31, 1974 (1921-2004) Last Republican Speaker to date
Stanley Steingut Democratic January 8, 1975 December 31, 1978 (1920-1989) Son of Spkr. Irwin Steingut
Stanley Fink Democratic January 2, 1979 December 31, 1986 (1936-1997)
Mel Miller Democratic January 8, 1987 December 13, 1991 (b. 1939) Removed from office upon federal conviction for fraud
James R. Tallon, Jr. Democratic December 13, 1991 December 16, 1991 As majority leader, became Acting Speaker upon Speaker Miller losing his seat until the election of Saul Weprin as the new Speaker
Saul Weprin Democratic December 16, 1991 February 11, 1994 (1927-1994) Died in office
Sheldon Silver Democratic February 11, 1994 Present (b. 1944)

[10] ; [11] ; [12]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Google Book The New York Civil List compiled by Franklin B. Hough (Weed, Parsons & Co., Albany NY, 1858)
  2. ^ The New York Civil List lists John Hathorn as Speaker of the 8th Session, disagreeing with other sources.
  3. ^ All following Sessions were held at Albany
  4. ^ The Assembly convened on January 5, but it took until the next day to elect the Speaker.
  5. ^ Google Book Journal of the Senate of the State of New-York at Their Seventy-Third Session (Weed, Parsons & Co., Albany NY, 1850)
  6. ^ The Assembly convened on January 1, but it took more than two weeks to elect the Speaker.
  7. ^ [1] His Memoirs, chapter 2
  8. ^ [2] NYT article Oct 24, 1887
  9. ^ [3] NYT article Jan 5, 1869
  10. ^ Google Book History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by John Stilwell Jenkins (Alden & Markham, Auburn NY, 1846)
  11. ^ Google Book The History of Political Parties in the State of New-York by Jabez Delano Hammond
  12. ^ Google Book Historical Index to the Manuals of the Corporation of the City of New York for the Year of 1851 by D. T. Valentine (McSpedon & Baker, New York, 1851) [List of Speakers, pages 337-338, contains a few erroneously entered names and dates]


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