Representatives had been elected in April 1810 to a term in the 12th United States Congress beginning on March 4, 1811.

On May 6, 1812, Robert Le Roy Livingston resigned his seat to fight in the War of 1812, leaving a vacancy in the 6th District.

The State Legislature reconvened on May 21, 1812, and re-apportioned the congressional district by an Act passed on June 10, 1812.

At the time, in the State of New York ballots with the name written by hand, or printed and distributed by the party machine men, were put in a box marked with the office the vote was intended for, like "Congress" or "Governor".

The House of Representatives of the 13th United States Congress met for the first time at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., on May 24, 1813, and Avery, Benson, Comstock, Denoyelles, Fisk, Geddes, Grosvenor, Kent, Lefferts, Lovett, Markell, Miller, Moffitt, Oakley, Post, Sage, Sherwood, Shiphard, Taylor, Thompson and Winter took their seats on this day.

On July 2, the United States House Committee on Elections reported that it seemed the claim was justified, considering that in some towns apparently all votes were given for "Williams" and none for "Williams, Jr." Nevertheless, the committee were "of the opinion that further evidence was necessary, to form a correct decision" and postponed the matter "until the first Wednesday of the next session.

"[19] On July 7, 1813, a petition on behalf of Peter A. Jay and Benjamin B. Blydenburgh was presented to the House, contesting the election of Ebenezer Sage and John Lefferts in the 1st D. On July 13, the Committee on Elections postponed this case also to the next session, but no further action was taken.

A special election to fill the vacancy was held in the 2nd District from December 28 to 30, and was won by William Irving, of the opposing party.