Voting Through Time: Indiana’s Presidential Elections from 1836 to Now

Every four years, in early November, millions of Hoosiers head to the polls to cast their votes for president. They walk into the polling place, present their photo ID, and receive a ballot to be filled out, then drop it in a ballot box. They then go about their day and wait anywhere from twelve hours to a few days to hear which candidate won. This democratic process has occurred numerous times throughout America’s history, although it has not always looked that way. If you were to travel back in time to 1836 and vote in a presidential election, what would that look like?

The 1836 Election: A Look Back at Indiana’s Voting Day

Painting by: George Caleb Bingham, American, 1811–1879
A large group of citizens gathering to place their votes in an election. Campaigning politicians anxiously press their party tickets toward individuals. Learn more about the painting.

Presidential Election Day 1836 occurred in Indiana on Wednesday November 7. Each state set their own presidential election day, with Ohio holding theirs first on November 4 and Rhode Island going last on November 23. It wasn’t until 1845 when Congress, to shorten the election period and prevent possible voter fraud, passed the Presidential Election Day Act setting the time for presidential elections across the country for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.[1]

As you walked up to your township polling place, often a home or prominent public building, you would find a large gathering of people. Election Day often became a social event, as people came from throughout the township to vote and socialize with their neighbors. Supporters of each candidate would be offering alcohol in exchange for votes, boasting of the reasons you should vote for their candidate. This year, the candidates were Vice-President Martin Van Buren (Democrat) and former Indiana Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison (Whig). Your polling place opened at some point between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., and had to stay open until at least 4 p.m., and after that could be closed whenever fifteen minutes passed without a vote. All polls had to be closed by 6 p.m.

When your turn to vote finally came, you stepped up to the election inspector and stated your name. The inspector would then repeat your name for all to hear, upon which others present could object to your casting a ballot. If no objections were given, you would hand your ballot, either pre-printed with the candidate’s name and his electors or handwritten, to the inspector. He would repeat your name and place your ballot in the ballot box. Flanking the ballot box would be two clerks, both keeping a poll book, writing and number the names of each voter.

Tallying Votes: The Method Behind the Election Results

Poll book from Hendricks County showing voters in the 1828 presidential election.

Once the polls closed, the inspector would open the ballot box and take out each ballot, saying aloud the name of the candidate written on the paper, with both clerks tallying the vote in their poll book. The inspector then handed the ballot to the first clerk, who repeated the name on the ballot, who then handed it to the second clerk, who also repeated the name. This process would be repeated for each ballot, ensuring that votes were tallied accurately. After the ballots were counted, the clerks would compare their poll books to make sure each had the same list of voters and votes cast. After the election, officials ensured the books matched, and a certificate was made with the vote count for each candidate. The election judge then took the certificate and delivered it to the clerk of the circuit court two days after the election. The clerk then verified the results in front of the election judges and created a separate certificate which was then delivered to the Indiana Secretary of State, who created a certificate of all the reported votes and sent them to Washington D.C.

Evolving Election Processes: From Long Waits to Instant Results

As you left the polling place, you weren’t sure who was going to win and wouldn’t for a while. The newspapers had been filled with editorials reporting the results of state elections and the possible effects on the presidential race. A state legislature flipping from Whig to Democrat might be good news for Van Buren’s chances, and horrible for Harrison. After a few weeks, voting numbers start trickling in from other states and a clearer picture began to form. By December 3, a newspaper in Liberty, Indiana, reported that Van Buren only needed four more electoral votes to reach the required 146. Four days later, the Indiana Journal, a Whig paper, had seen enough and reported that Van Buren, much to their chagrin, would be the next President of the United States. On December 10, the journal printed each state’s official results, and after a full month of waiting it was official: Martin Van Buren would become the eighth President.[2]             

While waiting for a winner to be declared would remain a recurrent feature of elections, the time it took gradually decreased over time. The passage of the Presidential Election Day Act in 1845, development of the telegraph and railroad network, radio, television, and the internet all delivered results to the public quicker than the preceding generation. In 1952, the first live television broadcast of election night coverage brought the incoming returns directly into American’s living rooms. Americans watched in amazement as hour by hour, reporters awarded Dwight Eisenhower and Aldai Stevenson electoral votes, although it ended up being a landslide, 442 to 89, in Eisenhower’s favor. On that night, the news called the election for Eisenhower before midnight!  

This year, with millions of ballots to be counted and every poll projecting a tight election, it is likely going to take some time for a winner to be declared. It is just part of the process and has been for hundreds of years. At least we shouldn’t have to wait over a month to figure out who will reside in the Oval Office come January 20, 2025.

For more information on 1830’s Elections and Politics:

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Footnotes

[1] “Presidential Election,” Indiana Journal (Indianapolis, IN), September 3, 1836, Newspaperarchive.com.; 5 Stat. 721 (1845).

[2] “The Presidency,” Star and Banner (Liberty, IN), December 3, 1836, Newspaperarchive.com.; Indiana Journal, December 7, 1836, Newspaperarchive.com.