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 is 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 stayed in office until December 31. An amendment to the
State Constitution, adopted in
November 1937, extended the assemblymen's term to two years, beginning with the electees of
November 1938 who served the first two-year term in 1939–40. The elections are held in even-numbered years.
From 1777 to 1822 • (1st Session, convened at
Kingston and
Poughkeepsie) September 10, 1777 – June 30, 1778
Walter Livingston from Albany County • (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 • (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 • (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 31 – 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 • (43rd S.) January 4 – June 30, 1820
John Canfield Spencer (Dem.-Rep./Clintonian) 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 Constitution 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, although the Assembly did not meet again after the usual adjournment in May. The next session's members were elected in November 1822 for a term beginning on January 1, 1823.)
Since 1823 Speakers since 1823 are: ==See also==