Some 'riddles' of US presidential elections solved

The Democratic Donkey

Ever wondered why the mascot of the Democrats is a donkey? Why Republicans are linked to the color red? And what happens if the US presidential elections end in a tie?

If you have been baffled why the presidential elections in the US are always held in November, and always on Tuesdays, the answer might lie in the weather, harvests and worship.

The Republican Elephant

Back when voters traveled to the polls by horse, Tuesday was an ideal day because it allowed people to worship on Sunday, ride to their county seat on Monday and vote on Tuesday - all before market day, Wednesday, the CNN reported.

Experts have also answered why donkey is the mascot for the Democratic party.

In 1828, Democrat Andrew Jackson's critics called him a "jackass" because of his populist views and his slogan, "Let the people rule".  Jackson decided to run with it - even using images of a donkey in his campaign ads. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast also used a donkey to depict the Democratic party.

Nast invented another famous symbol—the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled “The Republican Vote.” That's all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party.

Democrats today say the donkey is smart and brave, while Republicans say the elephant is strong and dignified.

Read more: Top 'riddles' of US presidential elections solved | Business Standard