The 1928 New York state elections were held on November 6, 1928, to elect the governor, the

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

, the state comptroller, the

attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

, a

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

and a judge of the

New York Court of Appeals The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the Unified Court System of the State of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six Associate Judges who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by t ...

, as well as all members of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

and the

New York State Senate The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan com ...

History

The Workers state convention met on June 10. The Socialist state convention met on July 15 at Albany, New York. The Republican state convention met on September 29 at

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, New York, Buffa ...

Democratic convention

The Democratic state convention met on October 2 at Rochester, New York. William Stormont Hackett, the

mayor of Albany From its formal chartering on 22 July 1686 until 1779, the mayors of Albany, New York, were appointed by the royal governor of New York, per the provisions of the original city charter, issued by Governor Thomas Dongan. From 1779 until 1839, may ...

, had indicated to friends in late 1925 and early 1926 that he intended to enter the campaign for governor in 1928, presuming that Governor

Al Smith Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was an American politician who served four terms as Governor of New York and was the Democratic Party's candidate for president in 1928. The son of an Irish-American mother and a C ...

won reelection in 1926 and made the presidential race in 1928. As a result of Hackett's death in early 1926, the Democratic Party in New York next turned to

Edwin Corning Edwin Corning (September 30, 1883 – August 7, 1934) was an American businessman and politician from New York. He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1927 to 1928. Early life Corning was born on September 30, 1883, in Albany, New York. ...

as their likely nominee for governor in 1928. Corning was a leader of

Daniel P. O'Connell Daniel Patrick "Dan" O'Connell (November 13, 1885 – February 28, 1977) was a longtime leader of the United States Democratic Party, Democratic Party political machine in Albany County, New York, Albany County, New York (state), New York. O'Conne ...

's Democratic organization in Albany, and had been elected

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

in 1926. However, Corning began to suffer health problems, and declined to become a candidate. As a result of Hackett's death and Corning's poor health, in 1928 New York Democrats attempted to recruit several other prominent politicians to run, including

Robert F. Wagner Robert Ferdinand Wagner I (June 8, 1877May 4, 1953) was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949. Born in Prussia, Wagner migrated with his family to the United States in 1885. After graduating ...

George R. Lunn George Richard Lunn (June 23, 1873 – November 27, 1948) was an American clergyman and politician from New York. He was the first Socialist mayor in the state of New York, a U.S. Representative from 1917 to 1919, and Lieutenant Governor from ...

, and

Peter G. Ten Eyck Peter Gansevoort Ten Eyck (November 7, 1873 – September 2, 1944) was an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from New York from 1913 to 1915 and again from 1921 to 1923. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Early li ...

. After those efforts failed, the party turned to Franklin D. Roosevelt to make the 1928 governor's race. He was nominated by acclimation at the state party convention.

Result

Four Democrats and two Republicans were elected in a tight race. The incumbents Tremaine and Copeland were re-elected. The Democratic, Republican and Socialist parties maintained automatic ballot access, the Socialist Labor Party did not re-attain it, and the Workers Party did not attain it.

Notes

* Vote Totals-New York Red Book 1929 {{Franklin D. Roosevelt

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...

History

Democratic convention

Result

See also

Notes