[4] Thus, under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938 and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to follow the One man, one vote rule, re-apportioned in 1982 by the Legislature, 61 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms.

Senate and Assembly districts consisted of approximately the same number of inhabitants, the area being apportioned contiguously without restrictions regarding county boundaries.

The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,560,000; Republicans 2,249,000; Conservatives 230,000; Liberals 116,000; Right to Life 52,000; Libertarians 17,000; Statewide Independents 16,000; Unity 6,000; New Alliance 5,000; and Socialist Workers 4,000.

Sixteen of the nineteen women members of the previous legislature—State Senators Carol Berman (Dem.

), of Lawrence; Mary B. Goodhue (Rep.), a lawyer of Mount Kisco; Olga A. Méndez (Dem.

Gail S. Shaffer did not take her seat in the Assembly, and was appointed as Secretary of State of New York instead.

The Legislature met for the first regular session (the 206th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1983;[5] and recessed indefinitely on June 28.

The Legislature met for a special session on September 15, 1983, to consider changes to the laws concerning transportation of cargoes.

[7] The Legislature met for the second regular session (the 207th) at the State Capitol in Albany on January 4, 1984;[8] and recessed indefinitely shortly before 2 a.m. on July 1.

At this session, the legislators raised the wages of the legislators who were elected to the next Legislature; approved a sales tax increase for Erie County; and extended a corporate tax surcharge used to subsidize the New York City mass transit system.

Andrew Jenkins and Lloyd Stephen Riford Jr. changed from the Assembly to the Senate at the beginning of this Legislature.