ALBANY — The stage is set for a post-election pay raise for state lawmakers.

With a little help from Gov. Cuomo, lawmakers left some important business unfinished when they ended their regular 2012 legislative session Thursday.

That means there will likely be a special session after the November elections — a perfect time for a legislative pay raise, a pre-election hot potato that could be approved between the election and the end of the year to take effect when lawmakers start their new terms in January.

Cuomo yesterday did not rule out a raise, which would be lawmakers’ first since 1999.