Could You Lose Your Right to Vote If You Bet on an Election? A provision in Wisconsin's electoral code has raised concerns about voting rights: the prohibition on casting ballots after placing bets on election outcomes.
This law, which dates back to 1849, was enacted to prevent corruption and election rigging. At that time, betting on elections was widespread, with some newspapers and politicians even encouraging it.
Evangelicals eventually took up the cause against election betting during the second Great Awakening, leading to laws prohibiting the practice.