Andrew Mark Cuomo is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cuomo, held for three terms. In 2021, Cuomo resigned from office amidst numerous allegations of sexual misconduct and covering up COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. At the time of his resignation, he was the longest-serving governor in the United States still in position.
The lieutenant governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the Government of the State of New York. It is the second highest-ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. Official duties dictated to the lieutenant governor under the present New York Constitution are to serve as president of the state senate, serve as acting governor in the absence of the governor from the state or the disability of the governor, or to become governor in the event of the governor's death, resignation or removal from office via impeachment. Additional statutory duties of the lieutenant governor are to serve on the New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments, the State Defense Council, and on the board of trustees of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The lieutenant governor of New York is the highest-paid lieutenant governor in the country.
Gail S. Shaffer is an American politician and activist who served as the 59th Secretary of State of New York under Mario Cuomo.
Leecia Roberta Eve is an attorney from New York with experience in federal government, state government, and the private sector who currently works as a lobbyist for telecommunications giant Verizon. Born in Buffalo, Eve was a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New York during the 2006 election. After working for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, Eve served as a senior advisor during Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign. From 2011 to 2013, she was Deputy Secretary for Economic Development in the Executive Chamber of New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. She was appointed to the Board of Commissioners of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in July 2017. Eve ran for Attorney General of New York in 2018, but was defeated in the Democratic primary.
Andrea Alice Stewart-Cousins is an American politician and educator from Yonkers, New York. A member of the Democratic Party, Stewart-Cousins has represented District 35 in the New York State Senate since 2007 and has served as Majority Leader and Temporary President of that body since 2019. She has previously served twice as acting lieutenant governor of New York under Governor Kathy Hochul, for 16 days in 2021 and between April and May 2022. Stewart-Cousins is the first Black woman to serve as the New York lieutenant governor, although in an acting capacity. She is the first woman in the history of New York State to lead a conference in the New York State Legislature and is also the first female Senate Majority Leader in New York history.
The U.S. state of New York has generally been seen as socially liberal in regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. LGBT travel guide Queer in the World states, "The fabulosity of Gay New York is unrivaled on Earth, and queer culture seeps into every corner of its five boroughs". The advocacy movement for LGBT rights in the state has been dated as far back as 1969 during the Stonewall riots in New York City. Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults has been legal since the New York v. Onofre case in 1980. Same-sex marriage has been legal statewide since 2011, with some cities recognizing domestic partnerships between same-sex couples since 1998. Discrimination protections in credit, housing, employment, education, and public accommodation have explicitly included sexual orientation since 2003 and gender identity or expression since 2019. Transgender people in the state legally do not have to undergo sex reassignment surgery to change their sex or gender on official documents since 2014. In addition, both conversion therapy on minors and the gay and trans panic defense have been banned since 2019. Since 2021, commercial surrogacy has been legally available within New York State.
Kathleen Hochul is an American politician serving as the 57th governor of New York since August 24, 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, she is New York's first female governor, as well as the first governor from Upstate New York since Nathan L. Miller became New York's governor in 1920.
The 199th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 2011, to December 31, 2012, during the first two years of Andrew Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
The 183rd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 3, 1979, to December 31, 1980, during the fifth and sixth years of Hugh Carey's governorship, in Albany.
The 185th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 1983, to December 31, 1984, during the first and second years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
The 186th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1985, to December 31, 1986, during the third and fourth years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
The 187th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 7, 1987, to December 31, 1988, during the fifth and sixth years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
The 188th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4, 1989, to December 31, 1990, during the seventh and eighth years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
The 189th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 9, 1991, to December 31, 1992, during the ninth and tenth years of Mario Cuomo's governorship, in Albany.
The 2018 New York state elections took place on November 6, 2018. On that date, the State of New York held elections for the following offices: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, and various others. Primary elections took place on September 13, 2018. As of May 2018, Democrats had won all 19 elections to statewide offices that have occurred in New York since 2002.
Brian A. Benjamin is an American politician and businessman who was lieutenant governor of New York from September 2021 until his resignation on April 12, 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously represented the 30th district in the New York State Senate from 2017 to 2021.
Douglas M. Smith is an American legislator serving as the New York State Assemblyman for the 5th district since 2018.
The Office of Cannabis Management is a state agency established upon passage of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA) to implement a regulatory framework for medical and adult-use cannabis in the state of New York, along with hemp regulations as well. It was announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo in the January 2019 State of the State address. The office is charged with the regulation and taxation of the cannabis industry in the State of New York, following the legalization of recreational cannabis which was signed into law by Governor Cuomo on March 31, 2021. Tax revenue taken in by the agency was estimated by the Governor to start at $83 million in 2021 and rise to $300 million at full implementation in 2023.
The 2022 New York gubernatorial election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of New York. Incumbent Democratic Party governor Kathy Hochul won a full term in office, defeating Republican Party U.S. representative Lee Zeldin in the closest New York gubernatorial election since 1994 and the closest Democratic victory since 1982. Hochul's election marked the first time that a woman was elected to the state's governorship.
The 2022 New York state elections took place on November 8, 2022. On this date, the State of New York held elections for the following offices: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Comptroller, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, New York State Senate, New York State Assembly, and various others. Primary elections took place on June 28 and August 23, 2022. This election cycle was highlighted by a redistricting process in which there were many election maps that were ultimately ruled to be unconstitutional Democratic gerrymanders.
