The 1970 New York state election was held on November 3, 1970, to elect the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, 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 Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...

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 Grossinger's Catskill Resort Hotel was a resort in the Catskill Mountains in the Town of Liberty, near the village of Liberty, New York. One of the largest Borscht Belt resorts, it was a kosher establishment that catered primarily to Jewish client ...

Liberty, New York Liberty is a town in Sullivan County, New York, United States. The population was 9,885 at the 2010 census. The town contains a village also named Liberty. The village is bisected by New York State Route 52 (NY 52) and NY 55, and is ...

, 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. The primary election was held on June 23. Paterson received the most votes.

Other parties with ballot line

The

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

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. 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. The

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

State Committee met on April 7 at

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

, and designated the incumbents Rockefeller, Wilson, Lefkowitz and Goodell (the first three for re-election); and completed the ticket with Edward Regan for Comptroller. The

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

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 Rochester may refer to: Places Australia * Rochester, Victoria Canada * Rochester, Alberta United Kingdom *Rochester, Kent ** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area ** History of Rochester, Kent ** HM Prison ...

, for attorney general. 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. The Socialist Workers Party nominated Clifton DeBerry for Governor; Jonathan Rothschild, a "30 years old

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

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. The

Communist Party A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. ...

nominated Clifton DeBerry for Governor; Mrs. Grace Mora Newman (born c. 1927), of

The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...

, 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. 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. 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 The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...

, 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. Obs.: *The vote for governor is used to define

ballot access Elections in the United States refers to the rules and procedures regulating the conditions under which a candidate, political party, or ballot measure is entitled to appear on voters' ballots. As the nation's election process is decentralized b ...

, 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.

Notes

Sources

*Official result of Democratic primary
''GOLDBERG'S VICTORY WAS BY 41,592 VOTES''
in NYT on July 12, 1970 (subscription required) *Official result

in NYT on December 16, 1970 (subscription required) New York Red Book 1971