Article V “Reject” - In 1886 the sale and manufacturing of liquors was an issue nationally as well as in Rhode Island. That year the Legislature in Rhode Island submitted to the people Article V a proposition calling for a law to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. At the April general elections the people of the state approved this amendment by a vote of 15,113 to 9,230. The two tickets presented in records 3146197 and 3146198 are for opposing sides of the issue. 8.1 cm 13.4 cm

Article V “Approved” - In 1886 the sale and manufacturing of liquors was an issue nationally as well as in Rhode Island. That year the Legislature in Rhode Island submitted to the people Article V a proposition calling for a law to prohibit the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors. At the April general elections the people of the state approved this amendment by a vote of 15,113 to 9,230. The two tickets presented in records 3146197 and 3146198 are for opposing sides of the issue. 8.1 cm X 13.3 cm

Suppression of Drinking Houses and Tippling Shops – Temperance was a major issue during the 1850s in Rhode Island. During this period the Legislature voted on various acts and allowed citizens to vote on the sale and consumption of alcohol. This pro temperance ticket is from 1854. It has the word “No” printed on the reverse and favored the continuance of an act suppressing drinking houses and tippling shops. 6.7 cm X 10.4 cm

Erection of a new State House – In 1891 a commission presented plans for construction of a new State House at a cost of $1,500,000. The following year the people approved a bond issue by a vote of 20,997 for as opposed to 12,225 against thus allowing a commission to be created to oversee the construction of the new State House. The cornerstone of the new State House was laid on October 15, 1896. This ticket is for the consent of the bond issue in the election of 1892. 7.4 cm X 13.0 cm

Proposed Amendment – This ca. 1850s ticket pertains to a proposed amendment to remove requirements of the voter registration tax and the performance of military duty. The back of this ticket has the word “Reject” printed on it. 4.4 cm X 10.7 cm

Democratic Ticket – This ticket dates to the local Providence election of 1855. The Providence Journal reported the day following the election “The Know Nothings carried the city yesterday, electing the Mayor, the Board of Aldermen, and twenty of the twenty– eight Councilmen.” All of the candidates on this Democratic ticket lost by significant margins. 9.8 cm X 7.3 cm

Citizens’ Nomination – This Citizen’s ticket for Aldermen in Providence dates to 1857. Only two of the candidates, George S. Rathbone and Zelotes W. Holden were elected to office. As noted on the ticket the Citizen’s ticket was for “Retrenchment and Reform” 11.7 cm X 7.4 cm

Whig Convention Ticket 1855 – Election day for Providence local officers was May 9th 1855, the following day the Providence Journal reported “The Know Nothings carried the city yesterday, electing the Mayor, the Board of Aldermen and twenty of the twenty-eight Councilmen….Three of the Aldermen were also on the Whig ticket.” The ticket shown here is the Whig Convention Ticket and the three successful Whig candidates were Isaac Thurber, George Rathbone and Zelotes Holden. 7.7 cm X 12.2 cm

National Union Republican Ticket Eight Ward – local election ticket from the mid to late 19th century from indeterminate towns and uncertain dates. 14.8 cm X 8.6 cm

Eight Ward Independent Ticket – local election ticket from the mid to late 19th century from indeterminate towns and uncertain dates. 14.2 cm X 8.9 cm

1776 – 1841 People’s Ticket – In 1841, after many years of failed attempts of partitioning the General Assembly to establish a written state constitution and remove strict voter qualification requirements, a reformed minded populace lead by reformer Thomas Wilson Dorr held its own constitutional convention and framed a new constitution. This ticket is the ballot used in statewide voting on December 27, 28, 29, 1841. The new constitution was approved by a vote of 13,895 ‘for’ and 52 ‘against’. The establishment of this extra-legal constitution helped pave the way for what was to become known in 1842 as the Dorr Rebellion. from an uncut sheet of 6 ballots 32.2 cm X 19.5 cm