The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word POLITICKED
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
O
L
I
T
I
C
K
E
D
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "tried to secure votes?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case tried to secure votes? = politicked.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does POLITICKED mean?
POLITICKED verb- To engage in political activity; politick.
- To engage in political activity.