Cicero gained them by what he did inside the city.

He could afford not to run into debt and ruin himself during his AEdileship, as had been common with AEdiles, because he was able to achieve his popularity in another way.

It was the chief duty of the AEdiles to look after the town generally--to see to the temples of the gods, to take care that houses did not tumble down, to look to the cleansing of the streets, and to the supply of water.

The markets were under them, and the police, and the recurrent festivals.

An active man, with common-sense, such as was Cicero, no doubt did his duty as AEdile well.
He kept up his practice as an advocate during his years of office.