Elections were held in the State of New York on November 2, 2010. Due to the special election for US Senate, all of New York's six statewide offices were up for popular election on the same date. At the same time, all 29 members from New York of the U.S. House of Representatives, all 212 members of the New York State legislature, and many other local officials were elected.
The Democratic Party swept all of the statewide races. However, Republicans made net gains of six seats in the House of Representatives and retook control of the New York State Senate, winning 32 Senate seats to the Democrats' 30.
United States Senate
Democratic Senator Charles Schumer won reelection against Jay Townsend, his Republican opponent.
Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton resigned her position in 2009 to become United States Secretary of State in the Obama administration. Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to the seat by Governor David Paterson. On November 2, 2010, a special election was held to fill the seat for the remainder of Clinton's unexpired term. Gillibrand defeated Republican Joseph J. DioGuardi in the special election.
United States House
The House seat in New York's 29th congressional district seat was vacated by Democrat Eric Massa, who resigned March 8, 2010. Under the authority of Article I in the U.S. constitution and provisions in New York state law, Governor David Paterson was supposed to call a special election in spring 2010 to fill the seat. However, Paterson waited until September to call the election and scheduled it for the same day as the general election. Two concurrent elections were held, one to fill the remainder of Massa's term (November to January) and one to fill the seat in the subsequent Congress. Both elections had the same candidates on the ballot, Democrat Matthew Zeller and Republican Tom Reed. Reed prevailed in both elections.
All of the New York congressional districts that were expected to be competitive were in Democratic hands; Republicans were expected to mount serious challenges to Democratic incumbents in districts 1, 13, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25 and 29. Republican candidates won their races in Congressional Districts 13, 19, 20, 24, 25, and 29. Republican candidates prevailed in a total of eight congressional races in New York, while Democratic candidates prevailed in the other 21; thus, the GOP gained a total of six House seats in New York.
State
Governor
Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat, resigned his post as governor of New York in 2008 due to a prostitution scandal. David Paterson, the Lieutenant Governor of New York, succeeded Spitzer. Paterson did not seek election to a full term in 2010.
The following tickets were filed with the New York State Board of Elections:
- Democratic Party: Andrew Cuomo/Bob Duffy (won the general election on November 2, 2010)
- Republican Party: Carl Paladino/Greg Edwards
- Independence Party: Cuomo/Duffy
- Conservative Party: Paladino/Edwards
- Working Families Party: Cuomo/Duffy
- Taxpayers Party: Paladino/Edwards
- Libertarian Party: Warren Redlich/Alden Link
- Green Party: Howie Hawkins/Gloria Mattera
- Rent is Too Damn High Party: Jimmy McMillan/no running mate
- Anti-Prohibition Party: Kristin M. Davis/Tanya Gendelman
- Freedom Party: Charles Barron/Eva Doyle
Andrew Cuomo and Bob Duffy prevailed in the election, receiving 61.4% of the vote.
Attorney General
In the wake of incumbent Andrew Cuomo's decision to pursue the governor's post and not seek re-election, five Democrats ran in a primary election; the winner was State Senator Eric Schneiderman, who had heavy backing from labor. Dan Donovan was the nominee of the Republican and Conservative parties. Schneiderman prevailed over Donovan in the general election on November 2, 2010, by a margin of 54.9% to 43.7%.
Comptroller
In February 2007, Thomas DiNapoli was chosen by the New York State Legislature to complete the unexpired term of Alan Hevesi following Hevesi's resignation. DiNapoli faced Republican Harry Wilson in the 2010 election. DiNapoli prevailed over Wilson in the general election on November 2, 2010, by a margin of 50.78% to 46.26%.
State Senate
All 62 seats of the New York State Senate were up for election in 2010 in accordance with state law.
Republicans retook the Senate majority in the 2010 elections, winning 32 seats to the Democrats' 30 on Election Day. One Republican Senate incumbent, Senator Frank Padavan of Queens, was defeated, while four Democratic incumbents (Sens. Brian Foley, Antoine Thompson, Darrel Aubertine, and Craig Johnson) were defeated in the general election. Democratic candidate David Carlucci was elected to an open seat in Senate District 38 that had become vacant due to the July 2010 death of Republican Senator Thomas Morahan. After defeating incumbent William Stachowski in a Democratic primary, Timothy M. Kennedy prevailed in the general election in Senate District 58. The Republicans' takeover of control of the State Senate was not confirmed until Johnson, who had sought a full hand recount of his race, exhausted his final appeal on December 20, 2010.
Open seats
- 12th district: Democrat George Onorato announced he would not seek reelection. Assemblyman Michael N. Gianaris, a Democrat, ran for the seat. Gianaris won the general election on November 2, 2010.
- 31st district: Eric Schneiderman, a Democrat who represents a district on the upper-east side of Manhattan, vacated his seat to run successfully for Attorney General. Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat won the Democratic party nomination to succeed Schneiderman. Espaillat won the general election on November 2, 2010.
- 38th district: Thomas Morahan, the Republican who represented this district in Rockland County, died in July 2010 from leukemia; he had already announced his retirement before his death. Five-term Rockland County executive and former lieutenant governor candidate C. Scott Vanderhoef, a Republican, ran to replace him, against three term Clarkstown Town Clerk David Carlucci. Carlucci prevailed in the general election.
- 40th district: Incumbent Republican Vincent Leibell announced he would not seek reelection and would instead run for Putnam County Executive. (Leibell was elected Putnam County Executive, but resigned from both posts in December 2010 amid rumors of corruption charges.) Michael Kaplowitz, Westchester County Legislator was the Democratic candidate. Republican Greg Ball, an Assemblyman, won his party's primary. Ball went on to win the general election.
- 53rd district: Republican George H. Winner, Jr. unexpectedly announced he would not seek re-election on June 2, 2010. Assemblymen Tom O'Mara and James Bacalles, both Republicans representing adjacent districts, made known their intentions to pursue the seat; O'Mara won the Republican primary and ran against Ithaca Democrat Pamela Mackesey. O'Mara won the general election.
- 59th district: Republican Dale Volker retired after 19 terms (38 years) in office. Former Erie County Sheriff Patrick Gallivan won a three-way the Republican primary, although Republican candidates Jim Domagalski and David DiPietro initially remained in the race on minor party lines. (Domagalski eventually withdrew his candidacy). Cynthia Appleton, a Village of Warsaw Trustee and critical care nurse, was the nominee of the Democratic and Working Families Parties. Gallivan prevailed in the general election.