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Though a staple of today’s headlines, dirty politics is far from a modern innovation. During Colorado’s 1904 gubernatorial election, both Democrat Alva Adams and Republican James H. Peabody deployed unsavory strategies to edge ahead.
Adams used “repeaters,” or voters wearing diguises to vote twice, to inflate his numbers and win the election. Peabody contested the results, but himself had forced miners to vote Republican or lose their jobs.
The resulting investigation determined that Adams would forfeit the office to Peabody, who in turn must resign within 24 hours. Following his resignation, Republican Lt. Gov. Jesse F. McDonald was sworn in.