early October of 1824, the Star and North Carolina Gazette had collected poll results from 155 different meetings. Surprisingly, Smith says, the straw polls rather accurately foretold local results.
The ultimate irony is that popular opin- ion finally counted for little in 1824. Jack- son, the hero of New Orleans, won a plu- rality of the popular vote but fell short of a majority in the Electoral College. The elec- tion was decided the House of Repre- sentatives, which chose John Quincy Ad- ams...