The Conservative Party of New York State, also commonly referred to as the New York State Conservative Party, was officially founded in 1962. Efforts to form the party were initiated following the Republican loss of New York State in the 1960 Presidential Election. In 1961 disaffected Republicans, led by New York City attorneys Kieran O'Doherty (1926-1991) and J. Daniel Mahoney (1931-1996), formed the organizing committee for the New York State Conservative Political Association, Inc., a membership corporation. This association was established as a base upon which to build the Conservative Party, "a fourth party, to counter the influence of the New York Liberal Party" [Mahoney, J. Daniel, Actions Speak Louder (New York: Arlington House), p. 24]. The Conservative Party's intent was to "exercise leverage upon the major political parties by endorsing and working for candidates from either party whose views paralleled its own, and running its own candidates where acceptable major party candidates were not put forth" [Mahoney, J. Daniel, Actions Speak Louder (New York: Arlington House), p. 23].

State headquarters opened in April 1962 as the Conservative Party, Inc. which performed the operations of the party through 1962. Due to provisions of the New York State Election Law, the party did not become an official political party until election day of that year. Red-tape was bypassed by taking over and renaming the defunct Freedom Party, Inc. Development of the party began with the creation of local party clubs which were viewed as the party's "main political resource" [Mahoney, J. Daniel, Actions Speak Louder (New York: Arlington House), p. 125]. Interim county committees were formed, and by 1963 there was a county chairman for each of New York State's 62 counties. It was not until 1964 that county committees were elected consisting of two to four members from each election district.

The party's Organizing Committee was redesignated in 1962 as the State Committee and a State Executive Committee was created. The State Committee, like the county committees, was not duly elected until 1964. It consisted of three members from each Congressional district meeting one to two times annually. The State Committee acts as a general oversight body for the party. The State Executive Committee, which meets on a regular basis, controls the implementation of policy. Party officers include the State Chairman, State Vice Chairmen, Secretary and Treasurer. The position of Executive Director was instituted to handle many of the administrative details that could no longer be performed by the State Chairman alone.

Chairmen

Kieran O'Doherty--1962

J. Daniel Mahoney--1962-1986

Serphin Maltese--1986-1988

Michael R. Long--1988-2019

Vice Chairmen

Charles Rice--1962-1969

Kieran O'Doherty--1969-1986

Executive Director

Martin J. Burgess

James D. Griffin

Serphin Maltese--1971-1986