Elections Are Coming Up!

To the right is one of the election tickets from the 1860 Presidential Election.  You told the man at the polling place what party you were, and he handed you a ballot.  You marked the men you supported, then put it into a large glass fishbowl.  


It wasn't exactly a "secret ballot."  


Lincoln initially told the media he was not going to vote.  Then he answered the question, "How are you going to vote?" with the enigmatic words, "By ballot."


He walked with Elmer Ellsworth and George Nicolay down the street to the Court House to cast his ballot about 3:30 in the afternoon, when the crowds had died down a bit.  


Ever the Victorian, he carefully tore off the top of the ticket, thereby casting his vote for everyone except himself.


They then walked back to campaign headquarters in the Illinois State House, to wait for the official results.