There are some similarities with the election law debates today and the 1852 election. By the 1850s, the parties were solidified, you were either a Whig or a Democrat. Both parties ran a war hero from the Mexican War and both parties endorsed the biggest issue of the day, the 1850 Compromise. So, for this election it was not about convincing people to vote for them, people stuck with their party, it was about getting people to show up to vote. Parties began collecting money to entice voters out with food and drink. If they had a big enough party, maybe people would show up.
Historically Speaking 