Stolen Elections: How Police Changed 19th Century Parties

• In Event: Groups and Parties in American Political Development

Abstract

Police departments were introduced in U.S. cities in the mid-nineteenth century and, once introduced, local party elites filled police ranks with their partisans. If, as Frances Lee (2016) writes, 19th century parties waged “war” with one another, I argue police were the weapons. Across the country-- from New York to Baltimore to San Francisco --police contributed to violent election day riots, ensuring their party kept office. This paper introduces an original dataset of 19th century election day riots (with specific police involvement), illustrating the scope of the problem. The paper then traces the process of police and party reform in three cities. This paper ultimately argues: 1) early police were party weapons, 2) citizens and politicians conceptualized party problems as police problems, and 3) police and party reform bills were simultaneous and intertwined. This history of election instability and law enforcement echoes contemporary concerns with partisan violence and insurrections like January 6th.

Author

• Stephanie Saxton, Johns Hopkins University