10 Amazing Facts about Elections

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Since ancient Greece, elections have formed the core of what it means to govern. Learn how people perform their civic duty with our fun election facts.

10 Amazing Election Facts

1. Some Republicans in the United States believe that weekend voting will draw more urban and minority voters to the polls to vote for Democrats. Consequently, they have opposed moving Election Day from a Tuesday to a weekend.

2. A brand of anti-chafing foot powder won a 1967 mayoral election in Picoaza, Ecuador. The foot powder company claimed their product would bring “hygiene and well-being” to the 4,000 townspeople.

3. During the 1988 Mexican general election, the government claimed that all the computers had crashed when the opposition party was shown to be winning. After the reboot, the government's party was “miraculously” ahead.

4. During the 1876 United States presidential election, Democrats were accused of intimidating voters, so in retaliation, Republicans threw away huge swathes of ballots, giving Republican Rutherford Hayes the victory.

5. The 1927 general election in Liberia is the most corrupt election in history. Charles D. B. King, who was seeking a third term as president, won around 234,000 votes to his opponent's 9,000. However, there were only 15,000 eligible voters in the country at the time.

6. In 1964, Haitian dictator Papa Doc asked to be elected as "President for Life" and won 99.9% of the vote. All the ballots were pre-marked "yes."

7. Up until 2012, it was illegal in South Carolina to buy alcohol on Election Day.

8. Before 1948, university graduates and business owners in the United Kingdom were allowed to cast more than one ballot, giving more elite social groups an electoral advantage.

9. In ancient Sparta, the government assembly would vote by shouting. The side who shouted the loudest would win the point. Aristotle called the practice “childish.”

10. In Africa, over 45% of people polled reported that voters are always or sometimes threatened with violence on election day.

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