Nova Scotia Elections: The Way We Were

EDITORS: This is the second in a series of features provided by Communications Nova Scotia as voters prepare to cast ballots in the March 24 general election. Today's story takes a look at elections in Nova Scotia's past.

By Communications Nova Scotia Staff

When Nova Scotians a century or two ago said they had to fight to vote, they weren't kidding.

Thrown punches were part of the election-day scene during the 1700s and 1800s. Getting to the polling platform was often hazardous to a voter's health -- if he was allowed to vote at all.

Here's a look at some of the more colourful aspects of Nova Scotia electioneering in years past, as recounted by Brian Cuthbertson in his book Johnny Bluenose at the Polls.

In those days, only men were allowed to vote, and only if they met certain criteria -- primarily, land ownership. (Nova Scotia women did not win the right to vote until 1918.)

A basic principle of British parliamentary democracy gave the vote to only those who held property in freehold. In the late 1700s and first half of the 1800s, that meant ownership of a "dwelling house" or 100 acres of land.

In 1839, a change in the law eliminated the 100-acre provision and redefined freehold as possession of an annual value of 40 shillings -- estimated by the value of agricultural or other produce, or the annual rent from buildings owned.

But this still didn't guarantee a man the right to vote. Considerable time could be spent challenging freeholders on their property qualifications.

Voters could be turned away for many reasons: not having a freehold according to the terms of a will; claiming land not paid for or land that had been sold; renting land for less than 40 shillings; being married to a widow who had no legal title to the property in question; or trying to claim a building with no chimney as a dwelling house.

The challenge to a man's right to vote was no idle threat: if found to have voted fraudulently, a man faced a fine -- 20 pounds in 1839. If unable to pay, he lost his property.

But that law created other problems. "Those without property had nothing to lose and could be bribed with rum, tobacco or odd bits of clothing to swear the oath," confirming that the property qualification was met, writes Mr. Cuthbertson in his book.

Even then, those who legitimately had the right to vote could find the process daunting.

Depending on the number of voters, elections could be decided in a day or two. In large counties, polling was a travelling show, making as many as five stops and taking weeks to complete.

A winter byelection of 1832 in Cape Breton County, for example, began with the poll opening Nov. 12 at Sydney. It moved to Arichat, Port Hood, and finally to Cheticamp, where it was closed Dec. 14 -- more than a month after the first vote was cast.

"These county elections took weeks to complete; consequently, they were most open to every abuse inherent in the system of open voting," Mr. Cuthbertson writes.

Most noticeable of these abuses was the drunkenness at many of the county elections. In the 1793 election, Halifax candidates kept open houses, or "houses of entertainment." There, supporters found lodgings, food, "rum in abundance," and stabling, for as long as the polls were open.

Violence was also prevalent at these elections. Many of the fisticuffs occurred between party supporters battling to control the entrance to the voting area. The party that gained control of the passageways could then push its supporters forward, while holding back their opponents.

Those who did make it through the gauntlet would face the sheriff, who acted as returning officer, and the candidates with their inspectors, all positioned on a platform.

Standing before them, the voter would publicly declare his vote, which the sheriff would dutifully record in a poll book. After the polls had closed, the sheriff would tally up the votes and declare a winner.

The rowdiness and intimidation prevailed in many elections until the Simultaneous Polling Act in 1847. The law provided for the division of each county into electoral districts, each of which had its own polling station, allowing all electors in the province to vote on the same day. It wasn't until 1870, however, that the secret ballot was introduced.

These changes greatly reduced the number of open houses and smoothed the way for the calmer elections of the late 1900s.

Now, doesn't voting seem like a walk in the park today?

Johnny Bluenose at the Polls, by Brian Cuthbertson, published by Formac Publishing Co. Ltd., $19.95, is available at the Nova Scotia Government Bookstore, One Government Place, 1700 Granville St., Halifax, 1-800-526-6575 or 902-422-7580.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The first feature, on enumeration, was transmitted Feb. 17. For a repeat, please e-mail <rossng@gov.ns.ca.>