Pre-consolidation: Post-consolidation: Pre-consolidation: Post-consolidation: A special judicial election was held on May 17, 1870, to fill the seats on the re-organized New York Court of Appeals.
An Amendment to the New York Constitution, adopted in November 1869, re-organized the Court of Appeals.
The first municipal election under the new charter was scheduled for the same day, with the intention to swamp the strong upstate Republican vote with a heavy Democratic/Tammany vote in New York City.
Boss Tweed's plan worked, and all five Democratic candidates were elected, leaving only two judgeships to the Republican minority.
Four died (Peckham in 1873, Grover in 1875, Allen in 1878, and Church in 1880) and Folger was first appointed, and then elected, Chief Judge, but resigned in 1881.