1910 East Dorset by-election

Parliamentary by-election held on 30 June 1910

1910 East Dorset by-election

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| <- 1910 | 30 June 1910 | 1910 ->

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Candidate  | Henry Guest | Nicholson
Party  | Liberal | Conservative
Popular vote  | 6,967 | 6,375
Percentage  | 52.2% | 47.8%

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| MP before election

Freddie Guest
Liberal

| Subsequent MP

Freddie Guest
Liberal

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The 1910 East Dorset by-election was a Parliamentary by-election held on 30 June 1910.[1] The constituency returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

## Vacancy[edit]

Thirty-five-year-old Frederick Guest had been Liberal MP for the seat of East Dorset since the January 1910 general election. In May 1910, his own election result was declared void, and he was unseated because of election irregularities by his constituency agent. This meant a by-election would take place and without Guest as a candidate.

## Electoral history[edit]

The seat had been Liberal since they gained it in the 1904 East Dorset by-election. They narrowly held the seat at the last election, with a slightly increased majority;

Freddie Guest General election January 1910[2] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Liberal | Frederick Guest | 6,957  | 51.6  | +1.5
| Conservative | John Sanctuary Nicholson | 6,531  | 48.4  | -1.5
Majority  | 426  | 3.2  | +3.0
Turnout | 13,488  | 91.2  | +1.3
| Liberal hold | Swing | +1.5  |

## Candidates[edit]

The local Liberal Association selected 36-year-old Henry Guest, the older brother of Frederick Guest, to defend the seat. Like his brother, he had a military background, but unlike his brother, he had not before stood for parliament.[3] The Conservatives retained John Sanctuary Nicholson as their candidate.

## Campaign[edit]

Polling Day was fixed for 30 June 1910.

## Result[edit]

In a remarkably high turnout, almost as high as the last General Election, the Liberals held the seat and managed a slightly increased majority;

Henry Guest East Dorset by-election, 1910[4] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Liberal | Henry Guest | 6,967  | 52.2  | +0.6
| Conservative | John Sanctuary Nicholson | 6,375  | 47.8  | -0.6
Majority  | 592  | 4.4  | +1.2
Turnout | 13,342  | 90.2  | -1.0
| Liberal hold | Swing | +0.6  |

## Aftermath[edit]

Henry Guest did not defend the seat at the December 1910 general election and was instead elected for Pembroke and Haverfordwest. This allowed Frederick Guest to return first as Liberal candidate and then as the MP again;

General election December 1910[5] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

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| Liberal | Frederick Guest | 6,819  | 52.1  | -0.1
| Conservative | Maurice George Carr Glyn  | 6,266  | 47.9  | +0.1
Majority  | 553  | 4.2  | -0.2
Turnout | 13,085  | 88.4  | -1.8
| Liberal hold | Swing |  |

## References[edit]

1. ^ Craig, F.W.S. (1987). Chronology of British Parliamentary By-elections 1833–1987. Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 104.
2. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.
3. ^ Who's Who: www.ukwhoswho.com
4. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.
5. ^ Craig, F. W. S. (1974). British parliamentary election results 1885-1918 (1 ed.). London: Macmillan.

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