Ballots & Brawls: the most Controversial Election in history

The world has seen many controversial elections including the current cases about the former President of the United States, Mr.Donald Trump, but in this article, let's talk about perhaps the most controversial elections, one of the past, in short.

The 1876 Presidential Elections of the United States

The 1876 Presidential Elections of the United States left the nation divided, with accusations of voter fraud, disputed results, and intense political maneuvering that tested the very foundations of democracy. The nation faced one of its most contentious and controversial presidential elections, and it shaped the course of American politics and the presidency for decades to come.

Candidates:

The Republicans chose their forbearer as Rutherford B. Hayes, the governor of Ohio, and the Democrats chose Samuel J. Tilden, the governor of New York.

What happened:

On election day, Tilden had a significant lead over Hayes by more than 260,000 votes. He seemed poised to secure an electoral college majority, as he had won much of the South, border states, and several states in the northeast, including his home state of New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. However, the outcome in Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina remained uncertain, accounting for 19 electoral votes. Additionally, there was uncertainty surrounding one of Oregon's three electors, which had already been awarded to Tilden.

As the impasse persisted into December when the electors were to cast their votes, the running mate of Hayes, William E. Chandler, pointed out that if Hayes were to receive all the doubtful votes, he would defeat Tilden by a slim margin of 185–184.

On January 29, 1877, Congress established an Electoral Commission to resolve the deadlock in the elections. During the commission's deliberation, Republican allies of Hayes engaged in secret negotiations with moderate Southern Democrats to gain their support for Hayes's election. On March 2, after resolving the last issue, the Electoral Commission declared Hayes the winner with a narrow 185–184 majority. Hayes was privately sworn in the following day, and the public swearing-in occurred on March 5 due to March 4 falling on a Sunday.

While the outcome was met with outrage and bitterness by some Northern Democrats, who derisively referred to Hayes as "His Fraudulency," Hayes took office without incident. Southern Democrats, however, were relatively content with the result, as Hayes fulfilled the secret promises made during the electoral dispute. He withdrew federal troops from states still under military occupation, effectively ending the era of Reconstruction. This led to Democrats dominating the region, known as the "Solid South.”

This article has been researched through many reliable sources, and has been written through personal understanding of the event, and hence states no external sources.