The 156th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4 to October 19, 1933, during the first year of Herbert H. Lehman's governorship, in Albany.

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1894, re-apportioned in 1917, 51 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts; senators for a two-year term, assemblymen for a one-year term. The senatorial districts consisted either of one or more entire counties; or a contiguous area within a single county. The counties which were divided into more than one senatorial district were New York (nine districts), Kings (eight), Bronx (three), Erie (three), Monroe (two), Queens (two) and Westchester (two). The Assembly districts were made up of contiguous area, all within the same county.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Socialist Party, the Communist Party and the Socialist Labor Party also nominated tickets. The Prohibition Party adopted at this time the name Law Preservation Party: to emphasize that Prohibition should be preserved while encountering rampant opposition to it. They endorsed the "dry" Republicans and nominated own candidates in many districts where "wet" Republicans were running.

The New York state election, 1932, was held on November 8. Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected U.S. President; Lieutenant Governor Herbert H. Lehman was elected Governor; and M. William Bray was elected Lieutenant Governor; all three Democrats. Of the other six statewide elective offices, five were carried by Democrats and one by a Republican judge with Democratic endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for Governor, was: Democrats 2,660,000; Republicans 1,812,000; Socialists 103,000; Law Preservation 83,000; Communists 26,000; and Socialist Labor 7,000.

...
Wikipedia