BRITISH ELECTION TIES.

Shannon News, 27 November 1925, Page 3

BRITISH ELECTION TIES.

ANOTHER POLL TAKEN. A statement in regard to the British custom in..cases of election ties, similar to those in Westland and Lyttelton, lias been made by Sir FraneisBell. In regard to law and custom, Sir Francis said that previously to 1872 it was the custom in Britain for a returning officer to make a double re : turn in the event of two candidates receiving the saifle number iof votes. He was"" not allowed’a casting vote. May’s “Parliamentary Procedure,” said Sir Francis, showed that in 1852 three niembers were declared returned for knaresborough, Yorkshire. They were sworn in at the .table of the House of Commons, and then directed by the Speaker to* withdraw belowthe bar of the House. The House then ordered that a fresh election should take place. In 1859 there were double returns for Knaresborough and Aylesbury, when the members were sworn in in the same way. A new election afterwards was ordered in each case. In 1872 tile British law was altered to provide that a returning-(Officer might give a casting vote, but it was not mandatory that he should do so. fn May, 1878 the returning officer in South Northumberland refused to give a casting vote and made a. double return. The two candidates declared elected, however, were sworn in but not allowed to take'their seats, and a fresh election was ordered.