Voting Scandal

Oh boy!  My Nichols ancestors are in trouble again. My great-great-grandmother's brother, Stephen Nichols was accused of bribing the good people of Totnes to vote for John Pender in the election of 1863.

 In this part of the testimony Henry Crawford testifies that his brother-in-law Stephen Nichols bribed him with £60 to vote for John Pender.

In this part it is Mrs Crawford (Sarah Nichols), the sister of Stephen Nichols that testifies that she did indeed receive £60 from her brother to vote for John Pender.

The committee reported that they found John Pender guilty of bribery in the 1863 elections of Totnes.

In this publication there is a list of fictitious voters in the Scotland elections of 1837

You will find evidence of election rigging in government papers of most countries.

Relevant Links

Fictitious votes in 1837 Elections of Ireland - and list of witnesses

Handlist of voters of Maryborough, 1760

The House of Lords Session 1837-1838: Fictitious votes in Scotland

Devon Election Bribery - and lists of witnesses

Time to Vote

With the voting in Scotland this week, it brings to mind the first time I went to vote. An election official came door-to-door and took down everyone's name who was eligible to vote. They also explained to us the procedure, and where we would have to go. Near the voting time I listened to speeches on TV because, really, I knew nothing about politics, nor had I cared. But I felt so unprepared going to the polls, waiting my turn to make my mark. I was thinking... I have finally come of age. What I thought mattered. Then I knew that this was a big responsibility, so from then on I at least kept up with world affairs and took an interest in what was going on around me. The next election I could make an informed vote!

In the 1800's not many women were able to vote world-wide, and those that could, mostly had to be property owners. You may find your ancestor on a voters lists, electoral register or poll book. I have listed some below, and you may find more at the local archives.

The lists can be between census dates, and many are before any census available. The oldest poll book I found is for Aberdeen 1696.


Relevant Links:


Voters' list of Waterford, Ont 1894

Oxford, Ontario 1889

Township of Grey, Ontario 1877-1898

Augusta, Ontario 1850+

Goderich, Ontario 1874+

Huron County, Ont

Victoria, BC 1874 +

Several districts of British Columbia 1881-1882

Boston Listing Board - lists of residents 20 years of age and over

Brookline, Mass - list of voters

Township of Kennebec - 1878

Montreal Center 1867

List of voters in the St Antoine Ward, Mtl, 1880

List of voters for St Gabriel, Qc 1894

Poll Book of an election in 1739 - Burlington County, NJ

Brunswick County, Virginia Poll List 1748

Poll Books: Northumberland, UK 1898

Poll Books Newcastle upon Tyne 1859

The Poll for a knight of the shire for west Yorkshire 1849

The poll for knights of the shire - York 1807

Poll for Knights of the Shire - Norfolk 1768

Poll Book for Dorset 1857

The Poll Book for Sheriff, Chester 1818

Poll for election of a representative in Parliament for Univ. of Cambridge 1827

Register of voters for southern division county of Durham, Uk 1868-69

Register of voters, fifth district, Worcester County, MD 1914

Register of voters, 1884-1936 Prescott, Mass - Handwritten

San Francisco Great Register - 1866

Voters who produced evidence of naturalization to the City of Boston 1864-1871

Poll list for New York 1880

Poll list for elections for Middlesex, UK 1802

Poll Book for knight of the shire for Isle of Wright 1870

List of pollable persons within the shire of Aberdeen 1696

Electorial Lists - Toowoomba & District, Queensland 1899-1900

Early Wairarapa Electorial Rolls (at Helens New Zealand History)

List of votes Polled - Sept 1841 (Quebec?) - names, occupations and street

A compendious and impartial account of the Election at Liverpool - 1806

The Bath Toll Book 1833 (more years at Google Books)