Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Hustings \Hus"tings\, n. pl. [OE. husting an assembly, coucil,
   AS. h?sting; of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. h?s?ing; h?s home +
   ?ing thing, assembly, meeting; akin to Dan. & Sw. ting, E.
   thing. See {House}, and {Thing}.]
   1. A court formerly held in several cities of England;
      specif., a court held in London, before the lord mayor,
      recorder, and sheriffs, to determine certain classes of
      suits for the recovery of lands within the city. In the
      progress of law reform this court has become unimportant.
      --Mozley & W.

   2. Any one of the temporary courts held for the election of
      members of the British Parliament.

   3. The platform on which candidates for Parliament formerly
      stood in addressing the electors. [Eng.]

            When the rotten hustings shake In another month to
            his brazen lies.                      --Tennyson.

Source : WordNet®

hustings
     n : the activities involved in political campaigning (especially
         speech making)