U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was nominated for Secretary of State on 1 December 2008 and confirmed on 21 January 2009 with a Senate Roll Call vote of 94-2. Immediately after the Confirmation, she resigned her seat. The New York Governor named a replacement candidate, Congressman Kirsten E. Gillibrand, on 23 January 2009. Senator Gillibrand was a Representative in Congress from NEW YORK's 20th Congressional District prior to her appointment to this seat. Senator Gillibrand (pronounced "JIH-lih-brand") was sworn in on 27 January 2009.

State Senator Malcolm A. Smith (Democrat) was named Majority Leader/President pro Tempore and "acting" Lieutenant Governor on 6 January 2009: the Democrats had taken control of the NEW YORK State Senate in the 2008 General Election.

On 8 June 2009, two Democrats declared themselves "independent" of their Party and agreed to caucus with the Republicans, giving the Republicans effective control of the NEW YORK State Senate; as part of this, one of the "independent" Democrats- Pedro Espada, Jr.- was named State Senate President pro Tempore by the Republican caucus (as a result, Senator Espada will also effectively be acting Lieutenant Governor). Senator Malcolm A. Smith, the Democratic leader in the NY State Senate, has said he is still both Majority Leader and President pro Tempore and will go to court to challenge the legality of this move (which has to do with State Senate rules and under what conditions the vote to do so had been taken in relation to same). However, the new Majority Leader- State Senator Dean Skelos- has indicated that he expects at least a few more State Senate Democrats to soon join what is now being termed the "new bipartisan majority coalition".

On 15 June 2009, one of the two "independent Democrats"- in this case, Hiram Monserrate (D-Queens County)- 're-defected' back to the Democratic fold: as a result, the NEW YORK State Senate is now deadlocked, re: organizational purposes, at 31-31 [the other "independent Democrat" defector- Pedro Espada, Jr. (D-Bronx County)- who was designated State Senate President pro Tempore (and, thereby, acting Lieutenant Governor) last week remains with the Republicans for organizational purposes]. As a result, neither Party functionally controls the State Senate and, therefore, the post of President pro Tempore is, technically, now in abeyance. Meanwhile, the judge of the State Supreme Court (the general trial court in NEW YORK) hearing the legal challenge by the Democratic leadership of the State Senate to the events of last week which originally led to this situation has ordered the State Senate to resolve this dispute on its own by 10 AM EDT (1400 UTC) tomorrow (Tuesday 16 June 2009). The Green Papers now lists the office of "acting Lt Gov" of NY as being vacant pending further developments re: this dispute.

On 16 June 2009, NEW YORK State Supreme Court Justice Thomas McNamara, currently assigned to the Court of Claims (which hears cases involving claims against the State government) in the State Capital, Albany, and hearing the case of Smith v. Espada in which the plaintiff (State Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith) claims that what is now being called "the Albany coup"- in which the Republicans originally seized control of leadership of the State Senate (but, re: which, the State Senate is now deadlocked- as regards organization and, therefore, scheduling bills for the Legislative Calendar and such- at 31-31)- was illegal as it took place after the State Senate had already adjourned for the legislative day of Monday 8 June, has- after first extending the deadline for the State Senate to resolve the dispute on its own to 1 PM local time (1700 UTC)- dismissed the case, thereby refusing to intervene in the dispute between the two Major Parties over which controls the now-tied State Senate, a deadlock that has left the position of Senate President pro Tempore (which, in turn, determines who is next in line to succeed to the Governorship of NEW YORK) in limbo. The position of effective "acting Lieutenant Governor", therefore, remains listed as "vacant" on The Green Papers.

On 8 July 2009, in an effort to break the deadlock in the New York State Senate resulting from the above-mentioned 31-31 tie, Governor Paterson appointed former Metropolitan Transportation Chairman Richard Ravitch Lieutenant Governor (the Lieutenant Governor, where not a member of the State Senate [as is the case when a State Senate President pro Tempore is acting where there is a vacancy in this office], has the constitutional authority to exercise a "casting vote" in case of a tie vote in the State Senate). State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, however, opined that this move was unconstitutional (the New York State Constitution does not specifically provide for the appointment of a replacement in case of a vacancy in the Lieutenant-Governorship): Mr. Ravitch was sworn in anyway, although a restraining order against his taking the Lieutenant Governor's chair was sought from- and granted by- a judge.

On 9 July 2009, State Senator Pedro Espada, Jr. agreed to return to the Democratic fold in the State Senate for organizational purposes, thereby restoring the "as elected" 32-30 Democratic majority that had originally resulted from the 2008 General Elections, on condition that he be named Majority Leader of the State Senate. Former Majority Leader Malcolm Smith was named President of the State Senate pro Tempore and, thus, returned as "acting Lieutenant Governor"; he is so listed on this website.

On Thursday 30 July 2009, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court (the Supreme Court is the court of general trial jurisdiction in NEW YORK: the equivalent of a Superior Court or equivalent in other States; the 'Appellate Division' of same is a court of intermediate appellate jurisdiction in NEW YORK) ruled that Richard Ravitch could serve as Lieutenant Governor of the State, so long as he did not preside over the State Senate, pending a full hearing on the dispute currently scheduled for Tuesday 18 August. Nonetheless...

per the usual reading of the New York State Constitution, the office of Lieutenant Governor will remain officially vacant until a new Lieutenant Governor is elected (on a ticket with the Governor also elected at the same time) in 2010 and takes office at the beginning of 2011. However, the restraining order against appointee Richard Ravitch serving as Lieutenant Governor was lifted on 9 July 2009 (this was done before State Senator Espada switched back to the Democratic caucus in the State Senate as noted above); the legality of Mr. Ravitch's appointment has been challenged in court, however, and- until this matter is formally resolved- State Senate President pro Tempore Malcolm Smith will be listed as "acting Lieutenant Governor" on this website for the duration.

On 22 September 2009, the New York State COURT OF APPEALS (the State's highest court, that of Last Resort) decided, by a 4-3 vote, that Richard Ravitch was constitutionally appointed to the office (via the powers granted to the Governor re: the filling of vacancies in the State's Public Officers Law) and, therefore, legally entitled to serve as Lieutenant Governor with all concomitant privileges, powers and duties attached to that office.

31 March 2009 Special Election Results - Certified 12 May 2009 - New York State Board of Elections

2 June 2009: President Obama nominates Congressman John M. McHugh for Secretary of the Army.
16 September 2009: Congressman John M. McHugh is confirmed as Secretary of the Army by the U.S. Senate.
21 September 2009: Congressman McHugh resigns his Seat.
29 September 2009: Governor David A. Paterson (Democrat) calls a Tuesday 3 November 2009 special election to fill the seat.
3 November 2009: William L. "Bill" Owens (Democratic) elected.
6 November 2009: Sworn.

The Republican party chose Dierdre K. "Dede" Scozzafava on 22 July 2009 for the primary to replace Congressman John M. McHugh. The Democrats chose William L. "Bill" Owens on 10 August 2009.