The lieutenant governor of New York is a constitutional office in the executive branch of the Government of the State of New York. It is the second highest-ranking official in state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. Official duties dictated to the lieutenant governor under the present New York Constitution are to serve as president of the state senate, serve as acting governor in the absence of the governor from the state or the disability of the governor, or to become governor in the event of the governor's death, resignation or removal from office via impeachment. Additional statutory duties of the lieutenant governor are to serve on the New York Court for the Trial of Impeachments, the State Defense Council, and on the board of trustees of the College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The lieutenant governor of New York is the highest-paid lieutenant governor in the United States.

The office is currently held by Antonio Delgado, who was sworn in on May 25, 2022.

Most lieutenant governors take on other duties as assigned to them by the governor. For example, Mary Donohue took on duties in the areas of small business, school violence, and land-use planning, along with serving as a surrogate speaker for the governor in upstate New York. Donohue's predecessor, Betsy McCaughey Ross, worked on Medicare and education policy, before her falling out with Governor George Pataki. Democrat Stan Lundine, who served under Governor Mario Cuomo, was active on technology and housing issues during his two terms in office.

In the 1994 statewide election, Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine sought reelection on the Democratic ticket with Gov. Mario Cuomo. Lieutenant Governor Lundine was unopposed for renomination on the Democratic ticket. In the Republican primary, academic Betsy McCaughey was the only candidate, as nominated by the Republican State Convention. McCaughey was selected as a running mate by state senator George Pataki. The Pataki/McCaughey ticket defeated the Cuomo/Lundine ticket in the general election.

In 1997, following a falling out for most of their term, Gov. George Pataki dropped Lieutenant Governor Betsy McCaughey Ross from the ticket. Pataki instead nominated Judge Mary Donohue as his running mate. Judge Donohue was unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Several candidates entered the race for the Democratic lieutenant governor nomination. Plattsburgh mayor Clyde Rabideau, Brighton town supervisor Sandra Frankel, Buffalo councilwoman Barbra Kavenugh, and attorney Charlie King of Rockland County announced their candidacies for the nomination. Councilwoman Kavanaugh withdrew from the race at the Democratic State Convention. Mayor Rabideau was selected as a running mate by New York City Council speaker Peter Vallone, and Supervisor Frankel was selected as a running mate by Brooklyn district attorney Charles Hynes during the state convention. King received enough support to qualify for the September primary ballot and continued his race. Supervisor Frankel won the Democratic lieutenant governor primary and was paired in the general election with Speaker Vallone.

Lieutenant Governor McCaughey Ross, who was running for governor as the Liberal Party nominee, was paired with Jonathan Reiter as a running mate. Independence Party nominee Tom Golisano ran with Laureen Oliver. The Green Party nominee, actor Al Lewis, ran with Alice Green.

The Pataki/Donohue ticket defeated the Vallone/Frankel and the Golisano/Oliver tickets.