The convention was dominated by the old Hunkers/Hard faction of the Democratic Party (which had supported John C. Breckinridge for the Presidency the year before, and had been reduced to a small minority at the 1860 New York state election) and the Greeley Republicans.
[1] The Republican state convention met on September 11 at Syracuse, New York and endorsed the Independent People's ticket with the exception of Frederick A. Tallmadge.
The Republicans preferred the incumbent Canal Commissioner Benjamin F. Bruce to be re-nominated.
22 Republicans and 10 Democrats were elected[2] to a two-year term (1862–63) in the New York State Senate.
The New York State Assembly of 1862 was almost evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, most of whom had been elected on the "Union" ticket.