The illustrated British weekly The Graphic published these two fascinating images of U.S. election technologies in 1872. Explanations from the publication follow.

Two images, top and bottom. Top: A crowd (men, but also women and even children) gathered on a city street at night, watching the results projected onto the side of a building. In the midst of the crowd is a stopped trolley car with people on its roof. Bottom: Inside of a passenger train car, men seated and standing, one of them collecting 'votes' (the preferences) of the others; they are white and appear to be broadly 'middle-class' or 'respectable'.

“The Electoral Magic Lantern” aka Broadcasting Results (top)

“Mammoth stereopticon”, at the corner of Broadway and Twenty-Second Street. “By means of a stereoscopic apparatus and magic lantern, the telegrams [of election results] are rapidly copied on a glass plate, and then put in the apparatus. Large crowds assemble till early in the morning, to watch the returns, which are shown on the wall of some building, covered with a large white sheet."–from source periodical.

“Taking Votes in a Railway Car” aka Polling Voter Intentions (bottom)

“It is a common thing to take votes in the railway carriages during election campaigns, though strictly speaking, it is not so much taking a vote as ascertaining approximately which candidate will have the best chance. Each passenger enters the name of his choice on a piece of paper, and a gentleman, generally a politician, takes his hat and collects the votes. Bets are offered and taken, and after the scrutiny animated discussions arise, each man endeavouring to persuade his opponents."–from source periodical.

Source: Wood engravings by Paul Frenzeny (artist) and Francis Sylvester Walker (delineator), The Graphic, November 30, 1872, via The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Picture Collection, The New York Public Library Digital Collections. (Higher resolutions available.)