Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton
One of the weirdest things to read about is until the 20th century, there was no official ballot at all. You literally showed up in your polling place with a "ballot" (which could include anything at all written on a paper) and submitted it. This is why the party machines had so much power - they handed out bits of paper with the official "party list" on it.
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The ward system made it all possible since a ward captain pampered the poor with payday loans, cooking and heating fuel, etc. In the 1800s and early 1900s the local political parties were basically organized crime. Instead of the city providing basic services, they did it themselves.