An Appeal to Duty

The items displayed here appeal to the civic duty of the voter. The earliest document, an 1844 broadside, calls attention to a planned voter fraud scheme and implores Vermonters to maintain vigilance. The crooked printing and uneven, oversaturated ink point to the urgency with which the page was printed and distributed. Gubernatorial candidate Redfield Proctor Jr. points back to the Voter’s Oath when he asks of voters “whether you are inclined to vote for me or not...go to the polls and conscientiously cast your vote for somebody. This is your duty as a loyal Vermonter.” Finally, a postcard from the Vermont Secretary of State tells us simply, “Remember to vote.”

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