STATE of the POLL, At the final Close thereof, at Winchefter, Saturday the 25th of June, 1790. I Alton, 9 H.C.R.J. || H. H. C. R. J. 36 34 34 36| 7 48 50 10 C. [R. J. 2 Andover, 49 47 a4 24 53 47 33 3 Bafingitoke, 26 26 22 22 31 23 53 54 46 38|| 4 Fawley, 5 Kingfelere, New Forest East, 16 51 7 New Foret West, 2 2 8 Portfdown Divifion, 9 Portfdown Hun- 10 [fle of Wight,and ton. 125 121 29 25 19 17 35 29 31 26| 37 36 14 11 26 22 21 H. C. R. J. H. 12 6 3 39 38 20 17 19 16 82 65 247 258 46 46 36 36 14 6 22 18 14 II 19 18 39 39 38 61 57 10 IO 30 27 4 10 50 8 12 51 II 241 16 12 13 5 21 251 209 171 145 8 2 2 184 168 48 41 38 29 8 13 29 22 51 ΙΟ 65 31 35 60 53 14 21 54 46 45 58 19 14 51 5 192 167 36 277 247 141 36 39 97 98 39 39|| 96 89 32 40 91 88 17 15 481 464 149 160 449.417|234|222478435321294||485|448|241|237||396|327|338|350|205|178|156|129||2013|1805|12901232 Majority in Favour of Sir William Heathcote, as oppofed to Lord John Ruffell, Majority in Favour of Mr. Chute, as oppofed to Mr. Jervoife, APPENDIX. IT may not be altogether ufelefs or uninterefting, either to the Candidate, the Elector, the Agent, or any other Defcription of Gentlemen, to have briefly ftated the chief and material Points to be attended to in the Conduct of a County Election; fo far at least as the fame are at all connected with the Duty of the Sheriff, which is all that is here intended to be fhewn, and which now follow by Way of Appendix. 25 Geo. iii. c. 84. f. 4. THE T Notice of Eledion from the Sheriff. HE Sheriff is required within two Days after the Receipt of the Writ, to cause Proclamation at the ufual Place of Election, of a Special Court to be holden there, for the fole and exprefs purpose of the Election, on any Day, except Sunday, not later than the 16th, nor fooner than the 10th, from the Day of Proclamation. Code of Proceeding to Election. 2 Geo. iii.c.24. NOTICE having been given, as above, of the Time and Place of Election, and the Freeholders being then and there affembled, the Sheriff is to begin the Election, by making Proclamation for Silence, and reading the Writ of Summons to the Meeting; and immediately after that is done, he is to read or caufe to be read, openly, before the Electors there affembled, the Act of 2 Geo. ii. c. 24. intitled “ An A&t for the more effectual preventing of Bribery and Corruption in the Election of Members to ferve in Parliament," and every Clause therein contained.-The Sheriff is then to take the Oath (Vide Ap pendix pendix, Oath No. 1.) which may be administered by any Justice of the Peace, for the County, or any three Electors, if there be no Justice prefent, and which Oath is to be entered on the Records of the Seffions of the County. THESE Forms being complied with, the Sheriff calls on the Freeholders to put the Candidates in Nomination, which being done, the Election proceeds first by a Shew of Hands, and if it cannot be fo determined, or if a Poll be intended, which is always known and agreed on between the contending Candidates, the Sheriff having, as he is required, previously caused Poll Booths 18Geo.ii.c.18.to be erected, at the Candidates Expence, according to the Hundreds, &c. within the County, not exceeding fifteen in Number, with the Names of Divifions, Hundreds, Parishes, Tythings, &c. painted on the most conspicuous Part of the Booths Lifts of Towns, Villages, Parishes, &c. in the feveral Hundreds, in each Booth, must be made out by the Sheriff, and delivered each Candidate, on Payment of two Shillings for each, and no Freeholders to vote for Freeholds fituate in Parishes, &c. not contained in fuch Lifts, the Poll Where to be Must be held at the most public and ufual Place of Election, within the held. 7 & 8County, where it hath been usually held for forty Years laft past, and cannot W. iii. c. 25. be Adjourned to any other Place without the Confent of the Candidates, except Commencement-25 Geo. that, after every Freeholder who is prefent at Winchester is polled, the Sheriff fhall adjourn the Poll from thence to Newport in the Isle of Wight, for the Eafe of the Inhabitants of the said Island. (Vide Abstract Ã&t, Ño. 12, Appendix). Must commence on the day demanded, or on the next Day, unless that be iii. c. 24. f. 1. Sunday, and then on the Day following. Continuance Clofe 7 & 8 W. iii. Cannot be continued more than fifteen Days, Sunday excepted, and muft be kept open seven Hours at the leaft between the Hours of eight and eight. The closing the Poll is perfectly difcretionary in the Returning Officer, and he muft fix the Time, having due regard to Circumftances, &c. it is also ufual to make three Proclamations, at a fmall Interval from each other, that the Poll will be closed at a certain Time, as a fair Notice for the remaining Voters to come in. Poll Clerks. One to each Booth to be appointed by the Sheriff, and fworn indifferently 6. 25. and 18.to take the Poll, and to fet down the Name of the Freeholder, the Place Geo. ii. c. 18. where his Freehold lies, and for whom he polls, and to poll no Freeholder f. 7. who is not fworn, if fo required. Inlpedos. 7 & 8 W. iii. Sheriff to appoint for each Candidate, fuch one Perfon as he shall name, to c. 25. f. 3. be Inspector of every Clerk appointed to take the Poll; and by 18 Geo. ii. c. 18. f. 9. Sheriff to allow a Check Book for every Poll Book, for each Candidate, to be kept by their respective Inspectors. 25 Geo. c. 84. f. I. iii. Scrutiny. After a Proclamation of the Majority, Scrutiny cannot be proceeded in without an Adjournment, otherwife, it is a Breach of Privilege. The allowing a Scrutiny is entirely at the Discretion of the Sheriff-for it is enacted by 25 Geo. iii. c. 84. f. 1. that, if a Scrutiny be demanded by any Candidate, or any two or more Electors, it may be granted if the Returning Officer deem it neceffary, but fo that the Return on a General Writ may be filed before or upon the Return Day; and, in Case of an Election on a New Writ, within thirty Days after the Clofe of the Poll, or fooner if conveniently may be. Must be made upon the Day, or the next Day after the final Close of the Poll, unless a Scrutiny be granted. In compliance with the Letter and Spirit of the Acts before mentioned, the following Directions were given, in Writing, to each Poll Clerk, viz. Poll Clerk's Duty. He is fworn truly and indifferently to take the Poll, and to poll no Freeholder but fuch as fhall take the ufual Oath as to his Freehold, if legally required.-He is to enter in the Poll-Book Ift. The Freeholder's Name. 2d. His Place of Abode (if it be at any Place out of Hampshire, fet down the Name of the County) *3d. Where the Freehold is fituate. 4th. Of what it confifts; whether Houfe, Land, Annuity, &c. 5th. By whom the Freehold is occupied. 6th. If the Freehold confist in Rent or Annuity, to fet down the Name of the Owner or Poffeffor of the Lands, &c. out which fuch Rent or Annuity iffues. Each fide of the Poll Book should be caft up and compared with the Check Books as foon as finished, if poffible, or at the first leisure Mo ment. Each Night, at the Clofe of the Poll for that Day, the Totals of the feveral Sides for that Day muft be brought forward to the End of that Day's Poll, and the whole Poll must be caft up, and the Poll Book figned by the Poll Clerk and the two Check Clerks. * It is recommended to add here, in Future, that the Name of the Place where the Freehold is fituate should be the Name of the very Parish or Tything in the Land-Tax Rate for which it is cemprifed and rated, which not having been attended to, in a few Inftances, in the prefent Poll, has been found inconvenient in publishing it. |