Back in the 19th Century, Your Election Ballot Could Double as a Work of Art

A selection of ballots from the 1860s shows a variety of the persuasive flourishes then in vogue. Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, courtesy of the Allen County Public Library In the mid-19th century, election ballots were created by political parties, not the government. Local Republican and Democratic operatives designed and printed their own ballots, also called tickets, which typically listed each…