Vote…Or Else

Today, we have many reminders of elections and the importance in voting but in 1868 the Grove City Village Council made it the responsibility of the mayor to make sure residents showed up to vote. An ordinance passed allowed the mayor to be fined $50 if he neglected his duties. The ordinance read: “Be it ordained by the council of the incorporated village of Grove City, O. that it shall be the duty of the mayor of said village to give notice of the time prescribed by law for the election of officers for said village and if he should fail to give such notice he shall upon conviction thereof pay a penalty of 50 dollars to be recovered by an action of debt before any court having jurisdiction thereof to be applied by the council for the use of the corporation.”