The 106th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met in Albany from January 2 to May 4, 1883, during the first year of administration of Grover Cleveland
Background
Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1846, 32 Senators and 128 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts were made up of entire counties, except New York County (seven districts) and Kings County (three districts). The Assembly districts were made up of entire towns, or city wards,[1] forming a contiguous area, all within the same county.
The 1882 New York state election was held on November 7. Democrats Grover Cleveland and David B. Hill were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The other two statewide elective offices up for election were also carried by the Democrats. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democratic 535,000; Republican 342,000; Prohibition 26,000; and Greenback 12,000.
Sessions
The Legislature met for the regular session at the State Capitol in Albany on January 2, 1883; and adjourned on May 4.
On January 11, John C. Jacobs (D) was elected president pro tempore of the State Senate.
On March 14, the Legislature elected William B. Ruggles (Dem.) as Superintendent of Public Instructions, with 94 votes against 52 for Neil Gilmour (Rep.), to succeed Gilmour for a term of three years.[3]
2nd District: 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 22nd Ward of the City of Brooklyn, and the towns of Flatbush, Gravesend and New Utrecht in Kings County
3rd District: 3rd, 4th, 7th, 11th, 13th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 23rd Ward of the City of Brooklyn
4th District: 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 24th and 25th Ward of the City of Brooklyn, and the towns of New Lots and Flatlands in Kings County
5th District: Richmond County and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, 8th, 14th and parts of the 4th and 9th Ward of New York City
6th District: 7th, 11th, 13th and part of the 4th Ward of NYC
7th District: 10th, 17th and part of the 15th, 18th and 21st Ward of NYC
8th District: 16th and part of the 9th, 15th, 18th, 20th and 21st Ward of NYC
9th District: Part of the 18th, 19th and 21st Ward of NYC
10th District: Part of the 12th, 19th, 20th, 21st and 22nd Ward of NYC
11th District: 23rd and 24th, and part of the 12th, 20th and 22nd Ward of NYC
Note: There are now 62 counties in the State of New York. The counties which are not mentioned in this list had not yet been established, or sufficiently organized, the area being included in one or more of the abovementioned counties.
Members
The asterisk (*) denotes members of the previous Legislature who continued in office as members of this Legislature.
^Except New York City where the wards were apportioned into election districts, and then some whole wards and some election districts of other wards were gerrymandered together into Assembly districts.
^Alfred Hodges (born 1846), son of assemblyman Andrew B. Hodges (in 1869); great-grandson of Congressman John Hathorn
^The majority of seven members (3 Democrats and 4 Republicans) of the Committee on Elections submitted a report in favor of Sprague (R), concluding that a mistake was made while transcribing the returns; a minority of two (both Democrats) submitted a report in favor of Bliss (D). The minority report was adopted on March 8 by a vote of 67 to 52; see SPRAGUE REFUSED A SEAT in NYT on March 9, 1883
