The central controversy in the 1877 context involved which part of the electoral process?

• A. Electors
• B. Voter Registration
• C. Ballot Design
• D. Polling Locations

Answer: (A)

Disputes over which slate of electors should be counted determined the outcome in 1877. The heated issue wasn’t about how people registered to vote, how ballots looked, or where people voted; it centered on the Electoral College—the electors chosen by states—and which electors’ votes would be counted by Congress. Because several states produced conflicting results, the decision about which electors would represent those states in the final tally had to be resolved by an independent body, ultimately leading to Hayes becoming president. So the core issue was the role and counting of the electors in the Electoral College.