If the double vacancy occurs later, the Temporary President of the State Senate acts as governor until the end of the unexpired term.
The position of president pro tempore of the New York State Senate was created as a standing office by a constitutional amendment in 1873.
In practice, this new arrangement transferred much power from the lieutenant governor to the President pro tempore, whose political position became comparable to that of the Speaker of the New York State Assembly.
On June 8, 2009, Democrats Hiram Monserrate and Pedro Espada Jr., joined the 30 Republican members of the State Senate to attempt to issue a motion to replace current Majority Leader Malcolm Smith with Minority Leader Dean Skelos.
The motions put forward on June 8 also sought to select Pedro Espada as Temporary President of the State Senate, which would have installed him as acting lieutenant governor.
Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins became Senate majority leader in January 2019, the first woman and African-American to do so.