1970 New York state election

none February 2026 September 2023 1970 11 3 1970 New York state election New York No 1969 New York state election 1969 1972 New York state election 1972 The 1970 New York state election was held on November 3, 1970, to elect the governor, the lieutenant governor, the state comptroller, the attorney general and a U.S. senator, as well as all members of the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate. Background On June 6, 1968, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated. On September 10, Governor Rockefeller appointed Congressman Charles E. Goodell to serve for the remainder of Kennedy's term. Nominations Democratic primary The Democratic State Committee met on April 1 and 2 at Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel in Liberty, New York, and designated Arthur J. Goldberg for governor; Basil Paterson for lieutenant governor; the incumbent Arthur Levitt for comptroller; Adam Walinsky for attorney general; and Ted Sorensen for the U.S. Senate.DEMOCRATS PICK SORENSEN TO RUN FOR U.S. SENATOR; Goldberg Says He Will Not Decline Designation for Governorship Primary; WALINSKY IS ALSO NAMED Choice for Attorney General; Levitt Selected Again for State Controller in NYT on April 3, 1970 (subscription required) The primary election was held on June 23. Paterson received the most votes. +1970 Democratic primary results Office Party designees Challengers GovernorArthur J. Goldberg 496,648Howard J. Samuels 455,482 Lieutenant GovernorBasil A. Paterson 594,751Jerome A. Ambro, Jr. 240,235 ComptrollerArthur Levitt (unopposed) Attorney GeneralAdam Walinsky 504,942Robert R. MeehanRobert R. Meehan, D.A. of Rockland County 242,052 U.S. SenatorTed Sorensen 154,434Richard L. Ottinger 366,789Paul O'Dwyer 302,438Max McCarthy 102,224 Other parties with ballot line The Liberal State Committee met on April 4, and designated Party Chairman Rev. Donald S. Harrington for Governor; and Deputy Mayor of New York Timothy W. Costello for the U.S. Senate. They also endorsed the Democratic designees Paterson and Levitt, and the Republican designee Lefkowitz.Liberals Name Chairman Gubernatorial Candidate in NYT on April 5, 1970 (subscription required) Harrington and Costello withdrew on May 7, and on May 11 the State Committee endorsed Democrat Arthur J. Goldberg for Governor; and the incumbent Republican U.S. senator Charles E. Goodell.Goldberg and Goodell Backed By Liberals' State Committee in NYT on May 12, 1970 (subscription required) The Republican State Committee met on April 7 at Rochester, New York, and designated the incumbents Rockefeller, Wilson, Lefkowitz and Goodell (the first three for re-election); and completed the ticket with Edward Regan for Comptroller.Governor and Goodell Top Republicans' State Ticket in NYT on April 8, 1970 (subscription required) The Conservative State Committee met on April 7, and designated again Prof. Paul L. Adams for governor, and James L. Buckley for the U.S. Senate. Adams had polled more than half a million votes in 1966, and Buckley more than a million in 1968. They also designated Edward F. Leonard for lieutenant governor; Anthony R. Spinelli for Comptroller; and Leo Kesselring, lawyer, of Rochester, for attorney general.Conservatives Nominate Adams and Buckley in NYT on April 8, 1970 (subscription required) The Republican, Liberal and Conservative tickets designated by the state committees were not challenged in the primaries. Minor parties Eight parties filed petitions to nominate candidates.8 PARTIES SEEK PLACE ON BALLOT; Deadline Passes for Filing Petitions in Albany; Symbol Is a Fetus A Party to Aid Buckley in NYT on August 23, 1970 The Socialist Workers Party nominated Clifton DeBerry for Governor; Jonathan Rothschild, a "30 years old Manhattan taxi driver," for lieutenant governor; Ms. Ruthann Miller (born c. 1940), for Comptroller; Miguel Padilla, Jr., 30, for Attorney General; and Ms. Kipp Dawson (born 1941) for the U.S. Senate.STATE'S SOCIALISTS NAME CANDIDATES in NYT on January 23, 1970 (subscription required) The Communist Party nominated Clifton DeBerry for Governor; Mrs. Grace Mora Newman (born c. 1927), of The Bronx, for lieutenant governor; and Arnold Johnson for the U.S. Senate. The "Civil Service Independents Party" nominated Gov. Rockefeller and Lt. Gov. Wilson for re-election. The "Independent Alliance Party" nominated James L. Buckley for the U.S. Senate. The "Courage Party," the New York state branch of the American Party, was ruled off the ballot on September 11 by Secretary of State John P. Lomenzo.Buckley's Emblem And Courage Party Ordered Off Ballot in NYT on September 12, 1970 (subscription required) The "Conservation Party" nominated Richard L Ottinger for the U.S. Senate, but was ruled off the ballot by the Appellate Division on October 1, reversing an earlier New York Supreme Court decision. At the same time, the "Independent Alliance" which nominated James L. Buckley, was upheld.Appellate Court Rules Against Conservation Party in NYT on October 2, 1970 (subscription required) The appellate decision was upheld by the New York Court of Appeals on October 7.TOP STATE COURT UPHOLDS BADILLO; ...Conservation Party Ruled Off Ballot in NYT on October 8, 1970 (subscription required) Result At the height of the chaotic political situation during the Vietnam War, a Republican governor and lieutenant governor, a Democratic/Liberal comptroller, a Republican/Liberal attorney general and a Conservative U.S. Senator were elected. The incumbents Rockefeller, Wilson, Levitt and Lefkowitz were re-elected. The incumbent Goodell was defeated. + 1970 state election results Office Republican ticket Democratic ticket Conservative ticket Liberal ticket Communist ticket Socialist Workers ticket Socialist Labor ticketGovernorNelson A. Rockefeller 3,151,432Arthur J. Goldberg 2,158,355Paul L. Adams 422,514Arthur J. Goldberg 263,071Rasheed Storey 7,760Clifton DeBerry 5,766Stephen EmeryStephen Emery (born c. 1908), "subway train dispatcher," of New York City, ran also for the U.S. Senate in 1950, 1958 and 1962; and for Lieutenant Governor in 1954 3,963Lieutenant GovernorMalcolm WilsonBasil A. PatersonEdward F. LeonardBasil A. PatersonGrace Mora NewmanJonathan RothschildArnold BabelComptrollerEdward V. Regan 1,853,142Arthur Levitt 2,881,642Anthony R. Spinelli 436,584Arthur Levitt 303,941(none)Ruthann Miller 14,071Walter SteinhilberWalter Steinhilber (born c. 1897), "commercial artist," of Queens, ran also for the Court of Appeals in 1944 6,908Attorney GeneralLouis J. Lefkowitz 2,891,969Adam Walinsky 1,886,631Leo Kesselring 409,169Louis J. Lefkowitz 321,865(none) Miguel Padilla, Jr. 14,306(none)U.S. SenatorCharles E. Goodell 1,178,679Richard L. Ottinger 2,171,232James L. Buckley 2,288,190Charles E. Goodell 225,793Arnold JohnsonArnold Johnson (c. 1905-1989), Arnold Johnson Is Dead at 84; A Leading American Communist in NYT on September 28, 1989 4,097Kipp M. Dawson 3,549John EmanuelJohn Emanuel (born c. 1908 in Greece), "fur worker," ran also for Comptroller in 1954 and 1966; for Lieutenant Governor in 1958 and 1962; and for the U.S. Senate in 1964 and 1968 3,204 Obs.: The vote for governor is used to define ballot access, for automatic access are necessary 50,000 votes. The number for Rockefeller/Wilson includes 46,212 votes polled on the Civil Service Independent ticket. Buckley polled 2,179,640 votes on the Conservative ticket and 108,550 on the Independent Alliance ticket. See also New York gubernatorial elections New York state elections Notes Further reading Paterson, David "Black, Blind, & In Charge: A Story of Visionary Leadership and Overcoming Adversity." Skyhorse Publishing. New York, New York, 2020 Sources Official result of Democratic primary: GOLDBERG'S VICTORY WAS BY 41,592 VOTES in NYT on July 12, 1970 (subscription required) Official result: 7,760 Voted for Communist as Governor in NYT on December 16, 1970 (subscription required) New York Red Book 1971 1970 New York