Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1777, amended by the re-apportionment of March 4, 1796, Senators were elected on general tickets in the senatorial districts for four-year terms.

Senators William Denning (Southern D.), James Gordon (Eastern D.) and Jedediah Sanger (Western D.) were re-elected.

Benjamin Huntting, Ebenezer Purdy (both Southern D.), James W. Wilkin, David Van Ness, Solomon Sutherland, John C. Hogeboom (all four Middle D.), Stephen Lush (Eastern D.) and Assemblyman Robert Roseboom (Western D.) were also elected to full terms in the Senate.

John Jay sent a message to the Assembly about the controversy that had arisen in the Council of Appointment concerning the right to nominate appointees.

The Dem.-Rep. councillors however claimed that they too had the right to nominate appointees, and Jay had adjourned the council and did not make any appointments anymore.

Jay asked the Assembly to solve the problem, but they refused, claiming that it was a constitutional issue to be decided by the Governor and Council.