The1964 New York state election was held on November 3, 1964, to elect aU.S. Senator from New York, as well as all members of theNew York State Assembly and theNew York State Senate.
Democratic former U.S. Attorney GeneralRobert F. Kennedy defeated incumbent Republican Senator,Kenneth B. Keating.
The Democratic majority in theNew York State Senate was split into the followers of MayorRobert Wagner, Jr. (15 senators) and U.S. SenatorRobert F. Kennedy (18 senators). Thus, noTemporary President of the State Senate could be elected, and the State Senate could not be organized. After six weeks of deadlock, Republican GovernorNelson Rockefeller urged the Republican senators to vote forJoseph Zaretzki, the leader of the Wagner faction.
In April 1965, theNew York Court of Appeals voided the reapportionment of the State Senate and Assembly districts enacted in December 1964, and ordered a new reapportionment and a new election of State legislators in November 1965. Thus the legislators elected in 1964 served an exceptional one-year term, as did the legislators elected in 1965.