Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Voting in the 1918 Election: A War Winding Down and a Full-Fledged Pandemic

One hundred and two years ago on Tuesday, November 5, Americans were heading to the polls to vote.  It was not a presidential election, but stakes were high.  People were electing members of the 66th Congress.  It was also the lone election to take place during the United States' involvement in World War I (though it was winding down) and there was a full-scale pandemic going on at the time.

Campaigning was disrupted tremendously around the country as states had banned large gatherings.  Nebraska, for example, lifted a ban on public gatherings to allow campaigning five days before the election.

The president was Democrat Woodrow Wilson, but the republicans swept to control of both houses in Congress.

This was also a big election for women suffragists.

And, Now We have 2020.  --Cooter


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