Voting
-
Who could vote? From potwallopers to ten-pounders: post-1832 franchises explained
Clarifying the workings of England’s historic electoral system, Philip Salmon examines who could vote following the changes made by the…
-
One half of ‘all England’? Yorkshire elections in the 18th century
The elections of May 2026 in England, Scotland and Wales provide another opportunity to consider some of the features of…
-
How many people could vote in the UK after the 1832 Reform Act?
As part of our series of ‘explainer’ articles, aimed at clarifying the workings of the United Kingdom’s historic political system,…
-
Steps towards identifying new Black voters in 18th-century Westminster and Hertfordshire
A few months ago, the History welcomed a guest post by Dr Gillian Williamson with her groundbreaking research into John…
-
Down for the count: election night highs and lows
As the UK goes to the polls today, here Dr Emma Peplow shares memories from our oral history archive, exploring…
-
Chairing successful candidates
As the results of the 2024 General Election start to come in, successful candidates will have different ways to celebrate…
-
The ups and downs of a London election: examining London poll books
As pollsters look for constituencies across the country to act as representatives of how the wider nation may vote in…
-
Parliamentary Elections in the Fifteenth Century
As the UK prepares to go to the polls for the 2024 General Election, modern politicians continue their campaigns across…
-
‘Not voting at all’: the election of an imprisoned MP in 1769
2024 represents the 250th anniversary of John Wilkes’s re-election for Middlesex and election as Lord Mayor of London. It was…
-
‘Kind patron of the mirthful fray’: the English aristocracy and cricket in the 18th century
The Ashes Test series currently under way provides an opportunity to consider the English aristocracy’s role in cricket’s early development…
-
The Secret Ballot: The Secret to Reducing Electoral Violence?
In July 1872, 150 years ago this month, the Ballot Act introduced the secret ballot to all UK parliamentary and…
-
Ballot boxes, bills and unions: Harriet Grote (1792-1878) and the public campaign for the ballot, 1832-9
In part six of his article series on Harriet Grote, Dr Martin Spychal, research fellow in our House of Commons…