The Quakers and Anglicans were predominantly led by Isaac Norris II and William Allen, both of whom were well respected and held significant political power.
Realizing this, John Kinsey and, particularly, Isaac Norris II led the Quakers in attempting to convince the Germans to vote along with their interests.
[6] Throughout the same decade, the German vote was effectively split and didn't play much of a role in elections; however, that began to change in the 1760s, when the Propriety Party began to recruit the equally disliked Dutch to their side, and the Quakers saw it necessary to redouble their efforts to gain the support of the Germans.
The Quakers believed that the Anglicans were going to attack the polls with a large number of vigilantes, which they were, as a few dozen sailors had been hired.
[4] On October 1, 1742, the "Bloody Election," as scholars refer to it, led to an outbreak of violence between the Quakers and Proprietary Party.
[7] While the debate was occurring, about fifty to eighty sailors carrying blunt objects, mostly clubs, gathered among the crowd.
[4] Eventually, German and Dutch citizens picked up makeshift weapons of their own to beat back the assailant sailors, who retreated to their ships.
The Assembly ruled that Allen, his business partner, the mayor, and two others (all Anglicans) should be investigated for being negligent in their duties and subverting the Pennsylvania Charter.
Charges were withdrawn, as was the original slander suit, and steps were taken to define election procedures and prevent future riots.