Election Bread Began 200 Years Ago in the US... Seongsimdang Releases Its Sixth Election Bread [Delicious Stories]

Election Bread Gains Attention Every Election Season
First Appeared in 18th-Century America, the Birthplace of Democracy
Seongsimdang in Daejeon Also Releases Election Bread

Editor's NoteThe earliest sweets are said to have been discovered in ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Sweets have accompanied every moment of human history. From biscuits and chocolate to ice cream, we bring you delicious stories behind the treats we have loved.

As major election days such as presidential, general, and local elections approach, "election bread" (or "voting bread") inevitably makes an appearance. Regional election commissions collaborate with local bakeries and confectionery companies to release these breads, or citizens voluntarily make and share them. While it is unclear exactly when the "election bread tradition" began in Korea, election bread already existed in the United States, the birthplace of modern democracy, over 200 years ago.

Election bread, created to encourage voting, has now become an established event

Election bread for June 3rd jointly released by Daejeon Election Commission and Seongsimdang. Photo by Daejeon Election Commission

Election bread is released to coincide with election days, and its varieties differ depending on the bakery. There is an unspoken rule that all voting bread features a stamp mark or the election date on its surface.

The first official collaboration between an election commission and a confectionery company to release election bread began with the June 13, 2018 local elections. At that time, the Daejeon Election Commission partnered with Seongsimdang to introduce election red bean bread, and Seongsimdang has now released its sixth election bread. Originally, election bread started as an event to raise voter awareness during local elections or by-elections, where voter turnout tends to be lower. However, as Seongsimdang's election bread gained popularity among citizens, it has now become a well-known feature that appears every election season.

In the US and UK, cupcakes; in Australia, "democracy sausages"

It is unclear exactly when or who started the tradition of making and sharing commemorative bread during election season in Korea, but in Western democracies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, the tradition of election bread has existed for centuries.

'Election Cupcakes' sold during the 2024 US presidential election. Instagram capture

In the United States and the United Kingdom, cupcakes appear every election season. The tradition began with small cupcakes displayed in front of polling stations and handed out to voters who visited.

Given the long history of democracy, cupcake designs are also diverse. In the US, many cupcakes feature the party colors of the two major parties, the Republican and Democratic parties. Some are topped with red or blue cream, while others mix both colors to symbolize unity among voters. In the UK, a parliamentary country, cupcakes are decorated with badges featuring the symbolic colors, emblems, or key campaign slogans of parties such as the Conservative or Labour Party, offering a wide variety of designs.

Australian polling stations operate sausage barbecue grills funded by donations from residents. Screenshot from the Australian Democracy Museum website

Australia has a much more unique tradition known as the "democracy sausage." On major election days, barbecue grills are set up in front of polling stations, and each voter is given a grilled sausage for free. These democracy sausage grills are operated as fundraising events by individual polling stations, and this tradition has been steadfastly maintained since the 1980s.

Cakes once handed out to weary voters have become a tradition

So who first made and ate election bread in the English-speaking world? Historians trace its origins to the late 18th century, during the British colonial period in North America. The basis for this is a 1771 record of an "expense claim for making election cakes" sent to the Connecticut state government. At the time, election bread was called "election cake," and it was likely a British traditional sweet such as gingerbread or a hard dried fruit bread.

During the British colonial period, bread and drinks were provided to voters on a state-by-state basis during election periods in North America. It is said that politicians often attempted to buy votes by offering food. Photo by U.S. Capitol Historical Society

Even before independence, cities and colonial assemblies in North America elected candidates by vote. However, elections at that time were very different from today. Only adult men with a certain amount of property were allowed to vote, and there were few polling stations. Voters living on the outskirts of cities had to rent a carriage or horse and travel long distances to cast their vote. Inns were always crowded with travelers before and after election day, and it is believed that these travelers were served election cake and drinks.

In 1800, after the American Revolution, Amelia Simmons, the first American cookbook author, even published an "election cake recipe."