By the Irish reform act of 1832, various classes of freeholders were invested with the county franchise, to whom were added, by 13 and 14 Viet. c. 69, occupiers of laQd rated for the poor-rate at a net annual value of £12, and persons entitled to estates in fee, or in tail, or for life, of the rated value of £5. The Irish borough qualification was nearly the same as the English, but the above-mentioned statute of Victoria added to the the occupiers of lands and premises rated at £8. The act of 1868 made no change in the county qualification, but gave the borough franchise to occupiers of houses rated at £4, and of lodgings of the annual value of £10 unfurnished. Certain disqualifications exist from exercising the franchise on the grounds of infamy, alienage, conviction of felony, and the holding of government offices. Peers cannot vote. In the universities of Cambridge and Oxford the constituency consists of the doctors and masters of arts; in Dublin. of the fellows, scholars and graduates of Trinity college. In Loudon university the graduates form the constituency; in the Scotch universities the chancellor, the members of the university court, the professors, and the members of genera] council. Under the acts of 1867-8, in London, where four members arc returned, each elector has only three votes; and in Glasgow, which returns three members, each elector has but two votes.
The reform acts of 1832 introduced .a system of registration of voters for the three division.; of the Kingdom, In England lists of voters are prepared by the overseers.of each parish, and on certain days courts are held by barristers appointed by the chief-justice and the senior judge of each summer circuit to revise these lists, when claims may be made for persons omitted, and objections offered to names standing on the list. If an objection be sustained, the name is struck off the list, there being an appeal from the decision of the revising barrister to the court of Common Pleas. In Pentland a register of persons entitled to vote is made up annually in counties and in terms of the registration of voters (Scotland) act, 24 and 25 Viet. c. 23, which register is printed, and may be had for a small price. Voters are thus put on the without trouble to themselves, and, in point of fact, without their consent.' Enroll ment. however, may be challenged, in which case objections are heard anti detennined by the sheriffs, subject. (under the act of 1868) to appeal to a tribunal composed of three judges of the court of session. The registration system of Ireland introduced by the reform act resembles that of England; and by 16 and 17 Vict. c. 58, provision is made for the annual revision of the list of voters for the city of Dublin.
A property qualification of £600 a year in candidates for counties and £300 in candi dates for boroughs, which had previously existed in England and Ireland, was left untouched in 1831, but has been abolished by 21 and 22 Vict. c. 26. Scotch peers.
though not representative peers, are disqualified from sitting in the house of commons Irish peers may represent any constituency in Great Britain, but not in Ireland. A dis qualification is also attached to judges (except the master of the rolls), clergymen of the established church of any of the three kingdoms, Roman Catholic priests, revenue officers. persons convicted of treason and felony, and aliens, even when naturalized, unless the right has been conceded in express terms. Sheriffs cannot sit for their own countie, and government contractors are disqualified, a disqualification which does not extend to contractors for government loans. A member becoming bankrupt is incapaci tated from sitting or voting.
When a neW parliament has to be assembled, the lord chancellor, by order of the sovereign, directs the clerk of the crown to prepare and issue, under the great seal,•writs to the sheriffs of counties, both fa- the counties and the boroughs. A sheriff, on receiv ing the writ for a county, appoints a day for the election, and by the practice prior to the ballot act, 1872 (35 and 30 Viet. c. 33) on the day fixed, lie proclaimed the writ. If no more candidates were then proposed thou were to be elected, he declared them duly elected; if there was opposition, a show of hands was asked, and the sheriff declared who had the majority. If a poll was demanded by the opposite party, the election was adjourned. The electors of each district voted at their several nolling-places, and at the termination of the poll, the return was transmitted to the sheriff, who proclaimed the successful candidate. In borough elections in England and Ireland, the sheriff, on receiving the writ, issued his precept to the returning officer of the municipality, who superintended the election; in Scotland, the sheriff himself superintended the borough as well as the county elections. The names of the persons elected, both in counties mid boroughs, were returned by the sheriff to the clerk of the crown. The candidates are now nominated by a writing signed by two electors, as proposer and seconder, and eight others as consenting, and delivered to the returning officer; if on expiry of an hour from the time fixed there are more candidates than vacancies, the election is adjourned and a poll taken. The vote is given by ballot (q.v.), and the result announced by the return ing officer, and returned to the clerk of the crown in chancery. Vacancies occurring after a general election are supplied by new' writs issued by authority of the house. When it is determined that a writ should be amended, ibe clerk of the crown is ordered to attend the house, and amend it accordingly.