Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1821, 32 senators were elected on general tickets in eight senatorial districts for four-year terms.

Assemblymen were elected countywide on general tickets to a one-year term, the whole Assembly being renewed annually.

The Legislature met for the regular session at the Old State Capitol in Albany on January 5, 1836; and adjourned on May 26.

[1] On January 6, Attorney General Greene C. Bronson was appointed to the New York Supreme Court.

On January 12, the Legislature elected Congressman Samuel Beardsley to succeed Bronson as Attorney General.

On May 20, State Senator John C. Kemble resigned after accusations of fraudulent and corrupt stock trading.

On Monday morning, May 23, at the beginning of the session, State Senators Samuel Young and Myndert Van Schaick resigned their seats, stating they would not sit together with persons who refused to expel Bishop after finding him "guilty of moral and official misconduct."

The Equal Rights Party state convention met on September 15 at Utica; Robert Townsend Jr. was Chairman.