Representation of the People (Ireland) Act 1868
| Year | 1868 |
Representation of the People (Ireland) Act, 1868
(31 & 32 Vict.) C A P. XLIX.
An Act to amend the Representation of the People inIreland .
[13th July 1868]
W HEREAS it is expedient to amend the Laws relating to the Representation of the People inIreland:
Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:
Preliminary.
1 Short Title.
1. This Act may be cited for all Purposes as ‘TheRepresentation of the People (Ireland) Act, 1868.’
2 Application of Act.
2. This Act shall apply toIreland only, but shall not in anywise affect the Election of Members to serve in Parliament for the Borough of the University of Dublin .
PART I.
Franchises.
3 Occupation Franchise in Cities, Towns, and Boroughs.
3. From and after the passing of this Act the Fifth Section of the Act of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Years of the Reign of Her present Majesty, Chapter Sixty-nine, and all other Sections or Parts of the same Act which relate to or affect the Franchise conferred by the said Fifth Section, or the Registration of Voters upon whom it is conferred, and in which are the Words ‘Eight Pounds’ in reference to the said Franchise, shall be read and construed as if the Words ‘more than Four Pounds’ had been used and were substituted in the said Fifth and other Sections instead of and for the Words ‘Eight Pounds,’ so and in such Manner that, subject to all the Provisions of the said Act, the Occupation of Lands, Tenements, or Hereditaments rated at the net annual Value of more than Four Pounds shall be as effectual to qualify any Man to be registered as a Voter, and when registered to vote at any Election of Members to serve in Parliament for any City, Town, or Borough inIreland to be, held after the passing of this Act as the Occupation of Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments rated at the net annual Value of Eight Pounds and upwards was before the passing of this Act; and in all Provisions relating to such Occupation, Registration, or voting, and in all Lists, Returns, Precepts, Notices, or other Forms made or issued in pursuance of the Provisions of the Registration Acts, the Words ‘more than Four Pounds’ shall, when necessary, be substituted for the Words ‘Eight Pounds.’
4 Lodger Franchise for Voters in Cities, Towns, and Boroughs.
4. Every Man shall be entitled to be registered as a Voter, and when registered to vote for a Member or Members to serve in Parliament for a City, Town, or Borough, who is qualified as follows; (that is to say,)
1. Is of full Age and not subject to any legal Incapacity; and
2. As a Lodger has occupied in such City, Town, or Borough, separately and as sole Tenant for the Twelve Months preceding the Twentieth Day ofJuly in any Year, the same Lodgings, such Lodgings being Part of one and the same Dwelling House, and of a clear yearly Value, if let unfurnished, of Ten Pounds or upwards; and
3. Has resided in such Lodgings during the Twelve Months immediately preceding the Twentieth Day ofJuly , and has claimed to be registered as a Voter at the next ensuing Registration of Voters.
5 Registration of Persons occupying Lodgings.
5. The Claim of every Person desirous of being registered as a Voter for a Member or Members to serve for any City, Town, or Borough in respect of the Occupation of Lodgings shall be in the Form numbered 1. in Schedule (D.) to this Act annexed, or to the like Effect, and shall have annexed thereto a Declaration in Form and be certified in manner in the said Schedule mentioned, or as near thereto as Circumstances admit, and every such Claim shall after the Twentieth Day ofJuly and on or before the Fourth Day of August in any Year be delivered to the Town Clerk in the City, Town, or Borough in which such Lodgings shall be situate, and the Particulars of such Claim shall be duly published by such Town Clerk on or before the Eleventh Day of August next ensuing, in a separate List, according to the Form numbered 2. in the said Schedule (D.); and all the Provisions of the Registration Acts with respect to the publishing of Lists of Claimants and to the Delivery of Copies thereof to Persons requiring the same by the said Town Clerk shall apply to every such Claim and List, and all the Provisions of the same Acts with respect to the Proof of Claims and to Objections thereto and to the hearing thereof shall, so far as the same are applicable, apply to Claims and Objections and to the hearing thereof under this Section.
6 As to Joint Occupation in Counties.
6. In a County where Premises are in the Joint Occupation of several Persons as Owners or Tenants, and the aggregate rateable Value of such Premises is such as would, if divided amongst the several Occupiers, so far as the Value is concerned, confer on each of them a Vote, then each of such Joint Occupiers shall, if otherwise qualified, be entitled to be registered as a Voter, and when registered to vote at an Election for the County: Provided always, that not more than Two Persons, being such Joint Occupiers, shall be entitled to be registered in respect of such Premises, unless they shall have derived the same by Descent, Succession, Marriage, Marriage Settlement, or Devise, or unless they shall bebon fide engaged as Partners carrying on Trade or Business thereon.
7 Provisions as to Premises occupied in succession in Counties.
7. The Premises in respect of the Occupation of which any Person shall be entitled to be registered in any Year, and to vote in the Election for any County, shall not be required to be the same Premises, but may be different Premises occupied in immediate Succession by such Person during the Twelve Calendar Months next previous to the Twentieth Day ofJuly in such Year, such Person having paid on or before the First Day of July in such Year all the Poor's Rates which shall, previously to the First Day of January in such Year, have become payable from him in respect of all such Premises so occupied by him in succession.
8 No Elector who has been employed for Reward within Six Months of an Election to be entitled to vote.
8. No Elector who, within Six Months before or during any Election for any County, City, Town, or Borough, shall have been retained, hired, or employed for all or any of the Purposes of the Election for Reward by or on behalf of any Candidate at such Election as Agent, Canvasser, Clerk, Messenger, or in any other like Employment, shall be entitled, to vote at such Election, and if he shall so vote he shall be guilty of a Misdemeanor.
PART II.
9 Boundaries of. Parliamentary Boroughs.
9. Where at the Time of the passing of this Act the Boundary of any Municipal Borough does not coincide with the Parliamentary Borough, all that Part of such Borough situate beyond the Limits of the Parliamentary Borough, but within the Municipal Limits, shall form Part of the Borough for all Purposes connected with the Election of a Member or Members to serve in Parliament for said Borough.
PART III.
Miscellaneous.
10 Rooms for taking Polls to be hired wherever they can be obtained.
10. At every contested Election for any County, City, Town, or Borough, unless some Building or Place belonging to the County, City, Town, or Borough is provided for that Purpose, the Returning Officer shall, whenever it is practicable so to do, instead of erecting a Booth, hire a Building or Room for the Purpose of taking the Poll:
Where in any Place there is any Room the Expense of maintaining...
To continue reading
Request your trial