New York abstained from the July 2, 1776, vote for independence because its delegates had not yet received authorization from the colony’s provincial congress.
The abstention did not mean New York permanently opposed independence. Its delegation was waiting for instructions while events moved rapidly in Philadelphia. On July 9, New York’s provincial congress authorized its delegates to support independence, and that decision reached the Continental Congress on July 15.
The vote itself was taken by colony, with each colonial delegation casting one vote. South Carolina and Pennsylvania initially opposed the resolution, while Delaware’s delegation was split until Caesar Rodney arrived and broke the tie. After South Carolina and Pennsylvania shifted, twelve colonies voted in favor and New York abstained.
This is why accounts often distinguish the July 2 independence resolution from the Declaration’s July 4 adoption. New York later joined the unanimous position, reflected in the document’s formal title.