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Section 1.—: Seats and Districts. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 3 [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 3.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

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Section 1.—

Seats and Districts.

Art. I. This Act has for its main subjects the matters following; namely:—

1. The number of Seats in the Commons House, and of the Districts by which they are to be filled. See Articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

2. The description of the Electors, by whose votes these several seats are to be filled: say Electors, who: see Section 2. See also Section 5, Election Apparatus; Section 7, Voters’ titles, how pre-established; Section 8, Election, how; Section 10, Vote-making habitations, how defined.

3. The description of the persons, who shall be capable of filling those several seats as Members: say Eligible, who; Section 3. See also Section 6, Promulgation of recommendations in favour of proposed members.

4. The process by which those seats shall be filled: say Election, how; see Section 8. See also Section 4, Election Offices; Section 5, Election Apparatus; Section 7, Voters’ titles, &c.

5. The time, during which the members shall, without fresh election, continue in their seats: say Members’ continuance; see Section 11. See also Section 12, Vacancies, how filled; Section 13, Security for the House against disturbance by members.

Art. II. The number of Seats shall be, as at present, six hundred and fifty-eight.

Art. III. For determining what persons are to be Electors, the whole surface of the United Kingdom shall be divided into Election Districts, the same in number as the Seats. See Section 9.

Art. IV. In and for each election district, one Member and no more shall be elected.

Art. V. In respect of quantity of population, the election districts shall be as nearly equal to one another, as convenience, in respect of local circumstances, will permit.

In no district shall the number of electors be less than [half]* the average magnitude: in no district more than [double].

But, unless for special cause assigned, no purposed departure from the average shall be made.

In quantity of population being thus nearly equal,—in extent, the districts will consequently be proportionably different. See Section 9.

Art. VI. For saving of delay, vexation, and expense in journeys, and inconvenience by thronging at the place of polling, any election district may be divided into Polling Districts, called also Sub-districts.

In each sub-district, the votes belonging to that sub-district shall be received, and thence transmitted to the office of the election district. See Section 8.

[* ]It is in pursuance of the custom generally observed in parliamentary bills, that the word thus designative of quantity is inclosed in brackets: so it will be in many other places. In bills as prepared for the House, the space between the brackets is left in blank: the blanks are filled up at a particular stage; and then is the time for the settling of the quantities. In the present draught, the blanks will in several other places besides this be seen filled up. The design of this was—to aid conception: the brackets show that the fixation was not considered as definitive.