ABSTRACT
During the First Republic, electoral participation rates were low. However, this did not imply the absence of a dispute for votes. This article seeks to show that organized workers played a fundamental role in structuring electoral competition in urban centers. The analysis of the cases of Pernambuco and Bahia shows that: workers formed the majority of the electorate in the capitals; class associations organized different stages of the voting process; the labor movement created original forms of political participation and representation through collectivized mandates.
KEYWORDS:
Labour Movement; Workers; Elections; Political Competition; First Republic