Elections in 17th to 19th Century Britain:
- Elections during this period were marked by violence, bribery, and chaotic political persuasion tactics.
- The emergence of party politics saw the Whigs representing Protestant succession and mercantile interests, while Tories had a Jacobite tinge and supported the established church.
- Voters were selected based on property ownership criteria, such as having a freehold worth 40 shillings or more.
- Different types of boroughs existed, including Scott and lot boroughs where residents paid taxes to vote, pot walloper boroughs where householders demonstrated their ability to boil a pot, and corporation boroughs controlled by local oligarchies.
- The faggot vote practice involved subdividing land into parcels to create voters who would vote as instructed by the seller.
- Election campaigns involved treating voters with street parties offering discounted goods, ribbons, cockades, banquets, and public feasts.
- Voting was done orally in public with each voter announcing their choice for all to hear. Tally captains led groups of voters supporting specific candidates through the process.
Westminster Election of 1698:
- In Westminster's election with an electorate of 15,000 to 20,000 people, rival political enthusiasts traditionally assembled at Tuttle Fields for physical fights before elections.
- Charles Montague and James Vernon ran jointly as Whig candidates against Sir Henry Dutton Colt Baronet as the Tory candidate in this contested election.
- Vernon described how his men aggressively confronted Colt's supporters during the campaign: "My men ran down Colt's men at a strange rate and cuddled them into ditches full of water."
Victorian Election Violence:
- Victorian elections were marked by extreme violence, including incidents like kidnapping voters and supplying them with alcohol until stupefied to influence their voting behavior.
- In Cheltenham in 1865, a man was shot in the mouth during a political argument over allegiances, resulting in his death.
- Violent tactics ranged from throwing dead animals at candidates to armed mobs guarding polling locations, leading to injuries and even deaths during election campaigns.
- Despite reforms like the Ballot Act of 1872 introducing secret ballots, historical accounts highlight the tumultuous nature of earlier election periods filled with intense partisanship and physical altercations.
Historical Electoral Practices:
- Historical elections involved tactics such as kidnapping opposing voters and engaging in violent clashes between supporters.
- Instances included individuals being held prisoner until they voted a certain way or faced physical harm if they did not comply with demands.
- Violent confrontations often erupted between rival party supporters, resulting in injuries and fatalities during election campaigns.
Modern Elections vs. Historical Elections:
- While modern elections are generally perceived as less eventful compared to historical ones filled with violence and chaos, recent decades have also seen memorable moments like John Prescott punching a voter or Neil Kinnock's dramatic rally performances.
- The hosts reflect on past lively election events that added excitement and unpredictability to electoral processes despite advancements promoting fairness today.
- Despite reforms enhancing transparency and fairness in modern elections, historical accounts underscore the colorful yet turbulent nature of earlier election periods marked by intense partisanship and physical altercations.