Vote early and vote often
Encyclopedia
Vote early and vote often is a generally tongue-in-cheek
phrase used in relation to election
s and the voting process. Though rarely considered a serious suggestion, the phrase theoretically encourages corrupt
electoral activity, but is used mostly to suggest the occurrence of such corruption.
The phrase had its origins in the United States
in the mid-19th century, and had an early appearance in Britain
when a newspaper re-printed correspondence from an American solicitor. The phrase, however, did not find widespread use until the early 1900s when it was used in relation to the activities of organized crime
figures in Chicago
.
This portion of the phrase is generally accepted to be a reference to voting early on polling day or early in the electoral process and not a reference to the formal process of early voting
. It is often believed that early reports of the success of one party will motivate more of their supporters to come out or dissuade their opponents and in many countries such as the United Kingdom there are restrictions on news reporting while the polls are still open to prevent just such an occurrence.
s. In the United States, Republicans
accused their opponents of inviting such corruption with their support of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
, the "Motor Voter Law."
As such, the phrase suggests the person in question is involved in ballot stuffing
or some other form of electoral fraud
involving an individual casting multiple votes.
as the originator of the phrase, an identification supported by Laurence Urdang
and Janet Braunstein. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
notes its usage in 1858, by William Porcher Miles
.
The British newspaper The Times
of 27 August 1859 printed a letter about the use of the ballot
for voting in the United States, written by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
to his friend Lord Radstock
. In the letter Dana reports:
The phrase is also noted as the "much vaunted maxim" of the Tammany Hall
political machine of the 1860: they used "repeaters", who were given five dollars and free liquor to go and vote for recently deceased voters. This process was depicted in the Martin Scorsese
film, Gangs of New York
where drunkards are forcibly shaved
(to alter their appearance) and turned back toward polling stations to vote again.
In his book, "Capone", John Kobler attributes the phrase to the infamous Al Capone.
Tongue-in-cheek
Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value. The facial expression typically indicates that one is joking or making a mental effort. In the past, it may also have indicated...
phrase used in relation to election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s and the voting process. Though rarely considered a serious suggestion, the phrase theoretically encourages corrupt
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
electoral activity, but is used mostly to suggest the occurrence of such corruption.
The phrase had its origins in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the mid-19th century, and had an early appearance in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
when a newspaper re-printed correspondence from an American solicitor. The phrase, however, did not find widespread use until the early 1900s when it was used in relation to the activities of organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
figures in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Vote early
This portion of the phrase suggests a person should arrive to vote early in the day. Most democratic electoral processes involve polling booths, which are open for a mandated period of time. Voting early would suggest a particular enthusiasm for voting not necessarily shared by other electors.This portion of the phrase is generally accepted to be a reference to voting early on polling day or early in the electoral process and not a reference to the formal process of early voting
Early voting
Early voting is the process by which electors can vote on a single or series of days prior to an election. Early voting can take place remotely, such as by mail, or in person, usually in designated early voting polling stations. The availability and time periods for early voting vary based on...
. It is often believed that early reports of the success of one party will motivate more of their supporters to come out or dissuade their opponents and in many countries such as the United Kingdom there are restrictions on news reporting while the polls are still open to prevent just such an occurrence.
Vote often
Most modern democratic electoral processes are operated on a one man, one vote basis. As such, voting often (on one day) would suggest that the person is voting as more than one person - a person with multiple voter registrationVoter registration
Voter registration is the requirement in some democracies for citizens and residents to check in with some central registry specifically for the purpose of being allowed to vote in elections. An effort to get people to register is known as a voter registration drive.-Centralized/compulsory vs...
s. In the United States, Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
accused their opponents of inviting such corruption with their support of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
National Voter Registration Act of 1993
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 , also known as The Motor Voter Act, was signed into effect by United States President Bill Clinton on May 20, 1993, however, compliance did not become mandatory until 1995...
, the "Motor Voter Law."
As such, the phrase suggests the person in question is involved in ballot stuffing
Ballot stuffing
Ballot stuffing is the illegal act of one person submitting multiple ballots during a vote in which only one ballot per person is permitted. The name originates from the earliest days of this practice in which people literally did stuff more than one ballot in a ballot box at the same time...
or some other form of electoral fraud
Electoral fraud
Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an election. Acts of fraud affect vote counts to bring about an election result, whether by increasing the vote share of the favored candidate, depressing the vote share of the rival candidates or both...
involving an individual casting multiple votes.
History
Historian James Morgan, in a 1926 publication, identified John Van BurenJohn Van Buren
John Van Buren was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was the second son of President Martin Van Buren and graduated from Yale College in 1828. In 1831, when his father was appointed U.S. Minister to Britain, he accompanied him as secretary of the American Legation in London...
as the originator of the phrase, an identification supported by Laurence Urdang
Laurence Urdang
Laurence Urdang was a lexicographer, editor and author noted for first computerising the unabridged Random House Dictionary of the English Language, published in 1966. He was also the founding editor of Verbatim, a quarterly newsletter on language.Urdang was born in Manhattan and graduated from...
and Janet Braunstein. Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations
Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, often simply called Bartlett's, is an American reference work that is the longest-lived and most widely distributed collection of quotations...
notes its usage in 1858, by William Porcher Miles
William Porcher Miles
William Porcher Miles was among the ardent States' Rights advocates, supporters of slavery, and Southern secessionists who came to be known as the "Fire-Eaters." Born in South Carolina, he showed little early interest in politics and his early career included the study of law and a tenure as a...
.
The British newspaper The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
of 27 August 1859 printed a letter about the use of the ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
for voting in the United States, written by Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Richard Henry Dana Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts, a descendant of an eminent colonial family who gained renown as the author of the American classic, the memoir Two Years Before the Mast...
to his friend Lord Radstock
Granville Waldegrave, 3rd Baron Radstock
Granville Augustus William Waldegrave, 3rd Baron Radstock was a British missionary and a Peer of Ireland....
. In the letter Dana reports:
The phrase is also noted as the "much vaunted maxim" of the Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
political machine of the 1860: they used "repeaters", who were given five dollars and free liquor to go and vote for recently deceased voters. This process was depicted in the Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
film, Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York is a 2002 historical film set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan. The film was inspired by Herbert Asbury's 1928 nonfiction book, The Gangs of New...
where drunkards are forcibly shaved
Shaving
Shaving is the removal of hair, by using a razor or any other kind of bladed implement, to slice it down to the level of the skin. Shaving is most commonly practiced by men to remove their facial hair and by women to remove their leg and underarm hair...
(to alter their appearance) and turned back toward polling stations to vote again.
In his book, "Capone", John Kobler attributes the phrase to the infamous Al Capone.