The 182nd New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 5, 1977, to December 31, 1978, during the third and fourth years of Hugh Carey's governorship, in Albany.

Under the provisions of the New York Constitution of 1938 and the U.S. Supreme Court decision to follow the One man, one vote rule, re-apportioned in 1971, and amended in 1974, by the Legislature, 60 Senators and 150 assemblymen were elected in single-seat districts for two-year terms. Senate and Assembly districts consisted of approximately the same number of inhabitants, the area being apportioned contiguously without restrictions regarding county boundaries.

At this time there were two major political parties: the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Conservative Party, the Liberal Party, the Communist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, the Libertarian Party and the Labor Party also nominated tickets.

The New York state election, 1976, was held on November 2. The only statewide elective offices up for election was a U.S. Senator from New York. Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan, with Liberal endorsement, defeated the incumbent Conservative James L. Buckley who had Republican endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. Senator, was: Democrats 3,239,000; Republicans 2,525,000; Conservatives 311,000; Liberals 184,000; Communists 25,000; Socialist Workers 16,000; Libertarians 11,000; and Labor 7,000.

...
Wikipedia