Additional statutory duties of the lieutenant governor are to serve on the New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments, the State Defense Council, and on the board of trustees of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry.

For example, Mary Donohue took on duties in the areas of small business, school violence, and land-use planning, along with serving as a surrogate speaker for the governor in upstate New York.

Donohue's predecessor, Betsy McCaughey Ross, worked on Medicare and education policy, before her falling out with Governor George Pataki.

Democrat Stan Lundine, who served under Governor Mario Cuomo, was active on technology and housing issues during his two terms in office.

Plattsburgh Mayor Clyde Rabideau, Brighton Town Supervisor Sandra Frankel, Buffalo Councilwoman Barbra Kavenugh, and attorney Charlie King of Rockland County announced their candidacies for the nomination.

Supervisor Frankel won the Democratic lieutenant governor primary and was paired in the general election with Speaker Vallone.

The Democratic field started with 1998 nominee Sandra Frankel, 1998 candidate Charlie King, businessman Dennis Mehiel, Westchester County Legislature Chairman George Latimer and former New York City Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jane Steiner Hoffman.

The Green Party nominated Jennifer Daniels for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Stanley Aronowitz.

State Senate Minority Leader David Paterson of Harlem won the Democratic nomination.

[1] However, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo warned Paterson before Ravitch's selection that such an appointment would be unconstitutional.

[1] Litigation concerning the appointment's constitutionality was filed in New York State's courts by the Republican Senate caucus on July 9.

However, on September 22, in a "stunning reversal," the New York Court of Appeals, ruled in a 4-3 decision that Paterson's appointment was constitutional.

Hochul then picked State Senator Brian Benjamin for lieutenant governor, a position he filled on September 9, 2021.