The 188th New York State Legislature, consisting of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, met from January 4, 1989, to December 31, 1990, during the seventh and eighth years of Mario Cuomo'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 1982 by the Legislature, 61 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 Democratic Party and the Republican Party. The Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Right to Life Party, an "Independent Progressive Party", the Workers World Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Socialist Workers Party also nominated tickets.

The New York state election, 1988, was held on November 8. The only statewide elective office up for election was a U.S. Senator from New York. Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan was re-elected with Liberal endorsement. The approximate party strength at this election, as expressed by the vote for U.S. Senator, was: Democrats/Liberals 4,049,000; Republicans/Conservatives 1,876,000; Right to Life 65,000; Independent Progressives 15,000; Workers World 13,500; Libertarians 12,000; and Socialist Workers 11,000.

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