bɪɡˈɪnɪŋ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti ˈeɪt wˈɔːɹd wʌz ɹˈɛɡjʊlɚli sᵻlˈɛktᵻd æz ɐ dˈɛlɪɡˌeɪt tə nˈuː jˈɔːɹks ɹᵻpˈʌblɪkən stˈeɪt kənvˈɛnʃənz, ænd hiː ɐtˈɛndᵻd ˈɔːlmoʊst ˈɛvɹi wˈʌn ʌntˈɪl wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti.
Beginning in 1858 Ward was regularly selected as a delegate to New York's Republican state conventions, and he attended almost every one until 1890.