How did political machines gather votes in the late 18th century and early 19th century

The Pendleton Act provided that Federal government jobs be awarded on the basis of merit instead of being a reward for political support.

Explanation:

the political machines gather votes in the late 18th and 19th century by letting people vote and they would put it in a box after that they would collect it and count how many people vote for this particular person

Explanation: no offense but its common sense if their were no machines then they would have to count by hand come on now

its a map of something