Question

Before 1845, “states were allowed to hold elections any time they pleased within a 34-day period before the first Wednesday in December.” What was one effect of this election system?
Voters in states with late elections knew the results of early elections.
Farmers were often unable to get to their polling place in time to vote.
The people who voted first could decide the outcome of most elections.
People spent less time in church because they would often travel to vote on Sundays.

Answer 1

Answer: Voters in states with late elections knew the results of early elections.

Explanation:

Before voting day was standardized across the United States in 1845, states, as the question mentions, were allowed to vote any time they pleased within a 34-day period before the first Wednesday in December.

This had the effect of letting voters in states with late elections know the results from the states with early elections.

This was problematic because knowing the results of early voting affected the turnout in states with late voting as they either showed up in more numbers to get a person elected or in less numbers to do the same.

Congress therefore decided to standardize the voting day and this is why election day is one day which is the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.