The1889 New York state election was held on November 5, 1889, to elect theSecretary of State, theState Comptroller, theAttorney General, theState Treasurer, theState Engineer and a judge of theNew York Court of Appeals, as well as all members of theNew York State Assembly and theNew York State Senate.
TheProhibition state convention met on September 4 and 5 at Shakespeare Hall inSyracuse, New York. Prof. Alphonso A. Hopkins presided. Jesse H. Griffen, aQuaker ofYorktown, was nominated for Secretary of State; Joseph W. Bruce for Treasurer; Benjamin L. Rand, a 30-year-old banker ofTonawanda, for Treasurer; Alpheus B. Kenyon, a professor ofAlfred University, for State Engineer; and Coleridge A. Hart, a 35-year-old lawyer ofNew York City, for Attorney General; and Walter Farrington for the Court of Appeals.[1]
TheRepublican state convention met on September 25 atSaratoga Springs, New York, and nominated John I. Gilbert, ofFranklin County, for Secretary of State; Martin W. Cooke, ofMonroe County, for Comptroller; Ira M. Hedges, ofRockland County, for Attorney General; James M. Varnum, ofNew York City, for Treasurer; William V. Van Rensselaer for State Engineer; and Albert Haight for the Court of Appeals.
TheDemocratic state convention met on October 1 at the Alhambra inSyracuse, New York. Lt. Gov.Edward F. Jones was Temporary and Permanent Chairman. Frank Rice was nominated for Secretary of State by acclamation. Comptroller Edward Wemple was re-nominated on the first ballot (vote: Wemple 265,Edward A. Maher 115½). Wemple's nomination was not "made unanimous." Attorney General Charles F. Tabor was re-nominated on the first ballot (vote: Tabor 266, John Foley 115). State Engineer John Bogart was re-nominated by acclamation. Ex-Attorney General Denis O'Brien (in office 1884–1887) was nominated unanimously for the Court of Appeals after the name of Edward S. Rapallo had been proposed but withdrawn considering the ballots for Comptroller and Attorney General.[2] The ticket, composed by Gov.David B. Hill and ordered to be pushed through the convention, had actually been published two days before the delegates met.[3]
Members of the disbandingGreenback Party met on October 21 at theGrand Central Hotel inNew York City. George O. Jones presided. They nominated Thomas K. Beecher for Secretary of State; J. Madison Hall, ofMadison County, for Treasurer; John B. Sullivan, ofWestchester County, for Comptroller; and James Wright, ofWayne County, for Attorney General.[4]
The whole Democratic ticket was elected.
The incumbents Wemple, Tabor and Bogart were re-elected.
| Office | Democratic ticket | Republican ticket | Prohibition ticket | Greenback ticket | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State | Frank Rice | 505,893 | John I. Gilbert | 485,363 | Jesse H. Griffen | 26,753 | Thomas K. Beecher[5] | 753 |
| Comptroller | Edward Wemple | 500,344 | Martin W. Cooke | 488,146 | Benjamin L. Rand | 26,089 | John B. Sullivan | |
| Attorney General | Charles F. Tabor | 499,477 | James M. Varnum | 488,768 | Coleridge A. Hart | 26,563 | James Wright[6] | 730 |
| Treasurer | Elliott Danforth | 502,319 | Ira M. Hedges[7] | 488,397 | Joseph W. Bruce[8] | 26,194 | J. Madison Hall[9] | 706 |
| State Engineer | John Bogart | 504,040 | William V. Van Rensselaer[10] | 486,921 | Alpheus B. Kenyon | 26,794 | Leonard Henkle[11] | 606 |
| Judge of the Court of Appeals | Denis O'Brien | 502,639 | Albert Haight | 487,567 | Walter Farrington[12] | 25,199 | ||