# List of speakers of the New York State Assembly

The speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party.
As in most countries with a British heritage, the speaker presides over the lower house of the legislature. The position exists in every U.S. state and in the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of the Congress. New York's Assembly Speaker is very powerful, effectively, having the power to control much of the business in the Assembly and, in fact, throughout all of state government. Through almost single-handed control of the chamber, the Assembly Speaker is able to dictate what legislation makes and does not make it to the floor.

## Selection

The Assembly elects its speaker at the beginning of a new term following the state elections, or after a vacancy in the office has occurred. The Clerk of the Assembly from the previous year will convene the Assembly and preside over the election process. Traditionally, each party caucus nominates a member from among their senior leadership. To be elected speaker a member must receive a majority of votes cast.

## List of speakers
### Note

Originally, the legislative term lasted one year, from July 1 until June 30 of the next year. The members were elected at the state election in April, but the actual session began ordinarily only in January of the next calendar year, which leads occasionally to some confusion. Only if the governor called for a special session is the Assembly convened earlier. For example, in presidential election years the Assembly convened already in November to elect the presidential electors. The speaker was always elected at the first meeting of the Assembly for the remainder of the term, expiring on June 30.
The State Constitution of 1821 moved the election to November, and the beginning of the term to January 1, and from 1823 on, the legislative term coincides with the calendar year. The assembly convened usually on the first Tuesday in January and elected the speaker, who stayed in office until December 31.
An amendment to the State Constitution, adopted in November 1937, extended the assemblymen's term to two years, beginning with the electees of November 1938 who served the first two-year term in 1939–40. The elections are held in even-numbered years.

### From 1777 to 1822

* (1st Session, convened at Kingston and Poughkeepsie) September 10, 1777 – June 30, 1778 Walter Livingston from Albany County
* (2nd S., at Poughkeepsie) October 13, 1778 – June 30, 1779 Walter Livingston from Albany County
* (3rd S., at Kingston and Albany) August 18, 1779 – July 2, 1780 Evert Bancker from New York County
* (4th S., at Poughkeepsie and Albany) September 7, 1780 – July 1, 1781 Evert Bancker from New York County
* (5th S., at Poughkeepsie) October 24, 1781 – June 30, 1782 Evert Bancker from New York County
* (6th S., at Poughkeepsie and Kingston) July 11, 1782 – June 30, 1783 Evert Bancker from New York County
* (7th S.) January 21 – June 30, 1784 John Hathorn from Orange County
* (8th S., at New York City) October 12, 1784 – June 30, 1785 David Gelston from Suffolk County
* (9th S., at New York City) January 12 – June 30, 1786 John Lansing Jr. from Albany County
* (10th S., at New York City) January 12 – June 30, 1787 Richard Varick from New York County
* (11th S., at Poughkeepsie) January 9 – June 30, 1788 Richard Varick from New York County
* (12th S., at Albany) December 11, 1788 – June 30, 1789 John Lansing Jr. from Albany County
* (13th S., at Albany and New York City) July 6, 1789 – June 30, 1790 Gulian Verplanck (Fed.) from New York County
* (14th S., at New York City) January 5 – June 30, 1791 John Watts from New York County
* (15th S., at New York City) January 4 – June 30, 1792 John Watts from New York County
* (16th S., at New York City) November 6, 1792 – June 30, 1793 John Watts from New York County
* (17th S., at Albany) January 7 – June 30, 1794 James Watson, (Fed.) from New York County
* (18th S., at Poughkeepsie and New York City) January 6 – June 30, 1795 William North (Fed.) of Albany County
* (19th S., at New York City) January 6 – June 30, 1796 William North (Fed.) of Albany County
* (20th S., at New York City and Albany) November 1, 1796 – June 30, 1797 Gulian Verplanck (Fed.) from New York
* (21st S.) January 2 – June 30, 1798 Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.) of Albany County
* (22nd S.) August 9, 1798 – June 30, 1799 Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.) of Albany County
* (23rd S.) January 28 – June 30, 1800 Dirck Ten Broeck (Fed.) of Albany County
* (24th S.) November 4, 1800 – June 30, 1801 Samuel Osgood, from New York County
* (25th S.) January 26 – June 30, 1802 Thomas Storm from New York County
* (26th S.) January 25 – June 30, 1803 Thomas Storm from New York County
* (27th S.) January 31 – June 30, 1804 Alexander Sheldon from Montgomery County
* (28th S.) November 6, 1804 – June 30, 1805 Alexander Sheldon from Montgomery County
* (29th S.) January 28 – June 30, 1806 Alexander Sheldon (Clintonian) from Montgomery County
* (30th S.) January 27 – June 30, 1807 Andrew McCord (Lewisite) from Orange County
* (31st S.) January 26 – June 30, 1808 Alexander Sheldon from Montgomery County
* (32nd S.) November 1, 1808 – June 30, 1809 James W. Wilkin from Orange County
* (33rd S.) January 30 – June 30, 1810 William North from Schenectady County
* (34th S., part) January 29 – February 12, 1811 Nathan Sanford from New York County (failed to attend session because of illness)
* (34th S., part) February 12 – June 30, 1811 William Ross (Dem.-Rep.) from Orange County
* (35th S.) January 28 – June 30, 1812 Alexander Sheldon, from Montgomery County
* (36th S.) November 3, 1812 – June 30, 1813 Jacob R. Van Rensselaer (Fed.), from Columbia County
* (37th S.) January 25 – June 30, 1814 James Emott (Fed.) from Dutchess County
* (38th S.) September 26, 1814 – June 30, 1815 Samuel Young from Saratoga County
* (39th S.) January 31 – June 30, 1816 Daniel Cruger from Steuben County
* (40th S.) November 5, 1816 – June 30, 1817 David Woods from Washington County
* (41st S.) January 27 – June 30, 1818 David Woods from Madison County
* (42nd S.) January 6 – June 30, 1819 Obadiah German from Chenango County
* (43rd S.) January 4 – June 30, 1820 John Canfield Spencer (Dem.-Rep./Clintonian) from Ontario County
* (44th S.) November 7, 1820 – June 30, 1821 Peter Sharpe (Dem.-Rep./Tammany Hall) from New York County
* (45th S.) January 3 – December 31, 1822 Samuel B. Romaine (Dem.-Rep./Tammany Hall) from New York County (The assemblymen of this session were elected in April 1821 under the provisions of the State Constitution of 1777 for a term beginning on July 1, 1821, and expiring on June 30, 1822. The State Constitution of 1821, ratified by the voters in February 1822, provided for their remaining in office until December 31, 1822, although the Assembly did not meet again after the usual adjournment in May. The next session's members were elected in November 1822 for a term beginning on January 1, 1823.)

### Since 1823

Speakers since 1823 are:
| Speaker | Party | County | Took office | Left office | Notes |
| Peter R. Livingston | Dem.-Rep./Bucktails | Dutchess | January 7, 1823 | December 31, 1823 | |
| Richard Goodell | Dem.-Rep./Bucktails | Jefferson | January 6, 1824 | December 31, 1824 | |
| Clarkson Crolius | Dem.-Rep./ Tammany Hall | New York | January 4, 1825 | December 31, 1825 | |
| Samuel Young | Dem.-Rep./Bucktails | Saratoga | January 3, 1826 | December 31, 1826 | |
| Erastus Root | Dem.-Rep./Bucktails | Delaware | January 2, 1827 | December 31, 1828 | two terms |
| Peter Robinson | Dem./Jacksonian | Broome | January 6, 1829 | December 31, 1829 | |
| Erastus Root | Dem./Jacksonian | Delaware | January 5, 1830 | December 31, 1830 | third term |
| George R. Davis | Democratic | Rensselaer | January 4, 1831 | December 31, 1831 | |
| Charles L. Livingston | Democratic | New York | January 3, 1832 | December 31, 1833 | two terms |
| William Baker | Democratic | Otsego | January 7, 1834 | December 31, 1834 | |
| Charles Humphrey | Democratic | Tompkins | January 6, 1835 | December 31, 1836 | two terms |
| Edward Livingston | Democratic | Suffolk | January 3, 1837 | December 31, 1837 | |
| Luther Bradish | Whig | Franklin | January 2, 1838 | December 31, 1838 | |
| George W. Patterson | Whig | Livingston | January 1, 1839 | December 31, 1840 | two terms |
| Peter B. Porter Jr. | Whig | Niagara | January 5, 1841 | December 31, 1841 | |
| Levi S. Chatfield | Democratic | Otsego | January 4, 1842 | December 31, 1842 | |
| George R. Davis | Democratic | Rensselaer | January 3, 1843 | December 31, 1843 | second term |
| Elisha Litchfield | Democratic | Onondaga | January 2, 1844 | December 31, 1844 | |
| Horatio Seymour | Democratic | Oneida | January 7, 1845 | December 31, 1845 | |
| William C. Crain | Democratic | Herkimer | January 6, 1846 | December 31, 1846 | |
| William C. Hasbrouck | Whig | Orange | January 5, 1847 | December 31, 1847 | |
| Amos K. Hadley | Whig | Rensselaer | January 4, 1848 | December 31, 1849 | two terms |
| Noble S. Elderkin | Democratic | St. Lawrence | January 1, 1850 | January 30, 1850 | left the Assembly to return home to his sick wife |
| Robert H. Pruyn | Whig | Albany | January 30, 1850 | March 14, 1850 | elected when Elderkin left the Assembly |
| Ferral C. Dininny | Democratic | Steuben | March 14, 1850 | December 31, 1850 | |
| Henry Jarvis Raymond | Whig | New York | January 7, 1851 | June 10, 1851 | |
| Joseph B. Varnum Jr. | Whig | Albany | June 10, 1851 | December 31, 1851 | elected when Raymond failed to attend special session |
| Jonas C. Heartt | Whig | Rensselaer | January 6, 1852 | December 31, 1852 | |
| William H. Ludlow | Democratic | Suffolk | January 4, 1853 | December 31, 1853 | |
| Robert H. Pruyn | Whig | Albany | January 3, 1854 | December 31, 1854 | second term |
| DeWitt C. Littlejohn | Whig | Oswego | January 2, 1855 | December 31, 1855 | |
| Orville Robinson | Democratic | Oswego | January 16, 1856 | December 31, 1856 | The Assembly convened on January 1, but it took more than two weeks to elect a Speaker. |
| DeWitt C. Littlejohn | Republican | Oswego | January 6, 1857 | December 31, 1857 | second term |
| Thomas G. Alvord | Democratic | Onondaga | January 26, 1858 | December 31, 1858 | |
| DeWitt C. Littlejohn | Republican | Oswego | January, 1859 | December 31, 1861 | three terms (third, fourth and fifth) |
| Henry J. Raymond | Republican | New York | January, 1862 | December 31, 1862 | second term |
| Theophilus C. Callicot | Democratic | Kings | January 26, 1863 | December 31, 1863 | elected by the Republicans in a split assembly |
| Thomas G. Alvord | Republican | Onondaga | January, 1864 | December 31, 1864 | second term |
| George G. Hoskins | Republican | Wyoming | January, 1865 | December 31, 1865 | |
| Lyman Tremain | Republican | Albany | January, 1866 | December 31, 1866 | |
| Edmund L. Pitts | Republican | Orleans | January, 1867 | December 31, 1867 | |
| William Hitchman | Democratic | New York | January, 1868 | December 31, 1868 | |
| Truman G. Younglove | Republican | Saratoga | January, 1869 | December 31, 1869 | |
| William Hitchman | Democratic | New York | January, 1870 | December 31, 1871 | two terms (second and third) |
| Henry Smith | Republican | Albany | January, 1872 | December 31, 1872 | |
| Alonzo B. Cornell | Republican | New York | January, 1873 | December 31, 1873 | |
| James W. Husted | Republican | Westchester | January, 1874 | December 31, 1874 | |
| Jeremiah McGuire | Democratic | Chemung | January, 1875 | December 31, 1875 | |
| James W. Husted | Republican | Westchester | January, 1876 | December 31, 1876 | second term |
| George B. Sloan | Republican | Oswego | January, 1877 | December 31, 1877 | |
| James W. Husted | Republican | Westchester | January, 1878 | December 31, 1878 | third term |
| Thomas G. Alvord | Republican | Onondaga | January, 1879 | December 31, 1879 | third term |
| George H. Sharpe | Republican | Ulster | January, 1880 | December 31, 1881 | two terms |
| Charles E. Patterson | Democratic | Rensselaer | February 2, 1882 | December 31, 1882 | |
| Alfred C. Chapin | Democratic | Kings | January, 1883 | December 31, 1883 | |
| Titus Sheard | Republican | Herkimer | January, 1884 | December 31, 1884 | |
| George Z. Erwin | Republican | St. Lawrence | January, 1885 | December 31, 1885 | |
| James W. Husted | Republican | Westchester | January, 1886 | December 31, 1887 | two terms (fourth and fifth) |
| Fremont Cole | Republican | Schuyler | January, 1888 | December 31, 1889 | two terms |
| James W. Husted | Republican | Westchester | January, 1890 | December 31, 1890 | sixth term |
| William F. Sheehan | Democratic | Erie | January, 1891 | December 31, 1891 | |
| Robert P. Bush | Democratic | Chemung | January 5, 1892 | December 31, 1892 | |
| William Sulzer | Democratic | New York | January, 1893 | December 31, 1893 | |
| George R. Malby | Republican | St. Lawrence | January, 1894 | December 31, 1894 | |
| Hamilton Fish II | Republican | Putnam | January, 1895 | December 31, 1896 | two terms |
| James M. E. O'Grady | Republican | Monroe | January 5, 1897 | December 31, 1898 | two terms |
| S. Frederick Nixon | Republican | Chautauqua | January, 1899 | October 10, 1905 | died in office during his seventh term |
| James W. Wadsworth Jr. | Republican | Livingston | January, 1906 | December 31, 1910 | five terms |
| Daniel D. Frisbie | Democratic | Schoharie | January 4, 1911 | December 31, 1911 | |
| Edwin A. Merritt Jr. | Republican | St. Lawrence | January 3, 1912 | November 5, 1912 | resigned to take his seat in Congress |
| Alfred E. Smith | Democratic | New York | January, 1913 | December 31, 1913 | |
| Thaddeus C. Sweet | Republican | Oswego | January 7, 1914 | December 31, 1920 | seven terms |
| H. Edmund Machold | Republican | Jefferson | January 5, 1921 | December 31, 1924 | four terms |
| Joseph A. McGinnies | Republican | Chautauqua | January 7, 1925 | December 31, 1934 | ten terms |
| Irwin Steingut | Democratic | Kings | January 2, 1935 | December 31, 1935 | father of Speaker Stanley Steingut |
| Irving M. Ives | Republican | Chenango | January 1, 1936 | December 31, 1936 | |
| Oswald D. Heck | Republican | Schenectady | January 13, 1937 | May 21, 1959 | longest serving Speaker (22 years and 4 months), died in office during his thirteenth term |
| Joseph Carlino | Republican | Nassau | May 21, 1959 | December 31, 1964 | as Majority Leader became Acting Speaker upon the death of Oswald D. Heck, elected Speaker on July 1 for the remainder of the term, then re-elected to another two terms |
| Anthony J. Travia | Democratic | Kings | February 4, 1965 | July 22, 1968 | vacated his seat during his second term upon appointment as a federal judge |
| Moses M. Weinstein | Democratic | Queens | July 23, 1968 | December 31, 1968 | as Majority Leader became Acting Speaker upon Travia's resignation for the remainder of the term |
| Perry B. Duryea Jr. | Republican | Suffolk | January 8, 1969 | December 31, 1974 | three terms, last Republican Speaker to date |
| Stanley Steingut | Democratic | Kings | January 8, 1975 | December 31, 1978 | two terms, son of Speaker Irwin Steingut |
| Stanley Fink | Democratic | Kings | January 2, 1979 | December 31, 1986 | four terms |
| Mel Miller | Democratic | Kings | January 8, 1987 | December 13, 1991 | removed from office upon federal conviction in the middle of his third term |
| James R. Tallon Jr. | Democratic | Broome | December 13, 1991 | December 16, 1991 | as Majority Leader became Acting Speaker upon Miller's removal from office until the election of a successor |
| Saul Weprin | Democratic | Queens | December 16, 1991 | February 11, 1994 | elected for the remainder of Miller's term, then re-elected to another term, died in office |
| Sheldon Silver | Democratic | New York | February 11, 1994 | February 2, 2015 | elected Interim Speaker on January 24, 1994, after Weprin's incapacitation; elected Speaker for the remainder of the term after Weprin's death, and re-elected eleven times; announced resignation to take effect one minute before midnight on February 2, 2015, after conviction; Second longest serving assembly speaker in New York history |
| Joseph D. Morelle | Democratic | Monroe | February 3, 2015 | February 3, 2015 | as Majority Leader became Acting Speaker upon Silver's resignation. Served for less than 12 hours. |
| Carl Heastie | Democratic | Bronx | February 3, 2015 | present | |