On the assumption that the radicals were entitled to all Negro votes, the returning boards followed the census figures for the black population in order to arrive at the minimum radical vote.

The action of the returning boards was specially flagrant in Louisiana and Florida and in the black counties of South Carolina.
Notwithstanding the fact that the very best arrangements had been made at Washington and in the states for the running of the radical machine, everywhere there were factional fights from the beginning.

Usually the scalawags declared hostilities after they found that the carpetbaggers had control of the Negroes and the inside track on the way to the best state and federal offices.

Later, after the scalawags had for the most part left the radicals, there were contests among the carpetbaggers themselves for the control of the Negro vote and the distribution of spoils.

The defeated faction usually joined the Democrats.