170th New York State Legislature


The 170th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 1955, to March 23, 1956, during the first and second years of W. Averell Harriman's governorship, in Albany.

Background

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938, re-apportioned in 1953, 58 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. The senatorial districts consisted either of one or more entire counties; or a contiguous area within a single county. The counties which were divided into more than one senatorial district were Kings, New York, Queens, Bronx, Erie, Nassau, Westchester, Monroe and Onondaga. The Assembly districts consisted either of a single entire county, or of contiguous area within one county.
At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Liberal Party, the American Labor Party, the Socialist Workers Party, and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets.

Elections

The New York state election, 1954, was held on November 2. Ambassador W. Averell Harriman was elected Governor, and D.A. of Bronx County George B. DeLuca was elected Lieutenant Governor, both Democrats with Liberal endorsement. The elections of the other six statewide elective offices resulted in a Democratic State Comptroller with Liberal endorsement, a Republican Attorney General, a Democratic Chief Judge with Liberal and Republican endorsement, a Democratic Court of Appeals judge with Liberal and Republican endorsement, a Democratic Court of Appeals judge with Liberal endorsement, and a Republican Court of Appeals judge with Democratic endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor/Lieutenant Governor, was: Republicans 2,550,000; Democrats 2,297,000; Liberals 264,000; American Labor 47,000; Socialist Workers 2,600; and Industrial Government 1,700.
Five of the seven women members of the previous legislature—Assemblywomen Mary A. Gillen, of Brooklyn; Janet Hill Gordon, a lawyer of Norwich; Frances K. Marlatt, a lawyer of Mount Vernon; Genesta M. Strong, of Plandome Heights; and Mildred F. Taylor, a coal dealer of Lyons—were re-elected. Bessie A. Buchanan, a retired musical actress and dancer of Harlem, was also elected to the Assembly.
The New York state election, 1955, was held on November 8. No statewide elective offices were up for election. Three vacancies in the State Senate and three vacancies in the Assembly were filled.

Sessions

The Legislature met for the first regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1955; and adjourned on April 2.
Oswald D. Heck was re-elected Speaker.
Walter J. Mahoney was re-elected Temporary President of the State Senate.
The Legislature met for the second regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1956; and adjourned on March 23.

State Senate

Districts

Senators

The asterisk denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature. Searles G. Shultz changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature. Assemblyman Frank J. Pino was elected to fill a vacancy in the Senate.
Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."
DistrictSenatorPartyNotes
1stS. Wentworth Horton*Republican
2ndEdward P. Larkin*Republicanresigned on September 16, 1955, to run for
Presiding Supervisor of the Town of Hempstead
2ndDaniel G. AlbertRepublicanon November 8, 1955, elected to fill vacancy
3rdWilliam S. Hults, Jr.*Republican
4thEdward J. SpenoRepublican
5thWalter G. McGahanRepublican
6thJames J. CrisonaDem./Lib.
7thJames G. SweeneyDem./Lib.
8thFrank D. O'ConnorDem./Lib.on November 8, 1955, elected D.A. of Queens County
8thBernard TompkinsRepublicanon February 7, 1956, elected to fill vacancy
9thThomas J. MackellDemocrat
10thHerbert I. Sorin*Dem./Lib.
11thWalter E. CookeDem./Lib.
12thFred G. Moritt*Dem./Lib.
13thThomas J. Cuite*Dem./Lib.
14thJohn F. Furey*Dem./Lib.
15thLouis L. Friedman*Dem./Lib.on October 5, 1955, appointed to the NY Supreme Court
15thFrank J. Pino*Dem./Lib.on November 8, 1955, elected to fill vacancy
16thWilliam Rosenblatt*Dem./Lib.
17thSamuel L. Greenberg*Dem./Lib.
18thHarry Gittleson*Dem./Lib.
19thEdward V. CurryDemocrat
20thMacNeil Mitchell*Republican
21stJames Lopez WatsonDem./Lib.
22ndAlfred E. Santangelo*Dem./Lib.on November 6, 1956, elected to the 85th U.S. Congress
23rdJoseph Zaretzki*Dem./Lib.
24thJoseph R. Marro*Dem./Lib.
25thFrancis J. Mahoney*Dem./Lib.Minority Leader; died on December 23, 1956
26thJohn J. Donovan, Jr.*Democratdied on March 12, 1955
26thHarry KrafDemocraton November 8, 1955, elected to fill vacancy
27thJacob H. GilbertDemocrat
28thNathaniel T. Helman*Democrat
29thFrancis J. McCaffrey*Democrat
30thFrank S. McCullough*Republican
31stPliny W. Williamson*RepublicanChairman of Judiciary
32ndWilliam F. Condon*Republican
33rdThomas C. Desmond*Republican
34thArthur H. Wicks*Republican
35thErnest I. Hatfield*Republican
36thPeter J. Dalessandro*Dem./Lib.
37thHenry Neddo*Republican
38thThomas F. Campbell*Republican
39thGilbert T. Seelye*Republican
40thRobert C. McEwen*Republican
41stWalter Van Wiggeren*Republican
42ndFred J. Rath*Republican
43rdHenry A. Wise*Republican
44thSearles G. Shultz*Republican
45thJohn H. Hughes*Republican
46thWheeler Milmoe*Rep./Dem.
47thWarren M. Anderson*Republican
48thGeorge R. Metcalf*Republican
49thHarry K. Morton*Republican
50thDutton S. Peterson*Republican
51stFrank E. Van Lare*Republican
52ndGeorge T. Manning*Republicandied on December 1, 1956
53rdAustin W. Erwin*RepublicanChairman of Finance
54thEarl W. Brydges*Republican
55thWalter J. Mahoney*Republicanre-elected Temporary President
56thStanley J. Bauer*Republican
57thJohn H. Cooke*Republican
58thGeorge H. Pierce*Republican

Employees

Assemblymen

Note: For brevity, the chairmanships omit the words "...the Committee on..."

Employees