United Kingdom general election, 1868

United Kingdom general election, 1868

17 November–7 December 1868
All 658 seats to the House of Commons 327 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader William Ewart Gladstone Benjamin Disraeli Party Liberal Conservative Leader since 3 December 1868 27 February 1868 Leader's seat Greenwich Buckinghamshire Last election 369 seats, 59.5% 289 seats, 40.5% Seats won 387 271 Seat change 18 18 Popular vote 1,428,776 903,318 Percentage 61.5% 38.4% Swing 2.0% 2.1%
PM before election Benjamin Disraeli Conservative Subsequent PM William Ewart Gladstone Liberal

1859 election • MPs

1865 election • MPs

1868 election • MPs

1874 election • MPs

1880 election • MPs

The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom. It was the first election held in the United Kingdom in which more than a million votes were cast; nearly triple the number of votes were cast compared to the previous election.

The result saw the Liberals, led by William Ewart Gladstone, again increase their large majority over Benjamin Disraeli's Conservatives to more than 100 seats.

This was the last election at which all the seats were taken by only the two leading parties, although the parties at the time were loose coalitions and party affiliation was not listed on ballot papers.

Results

↓

387	271
Liberal	Conservative

UK General Election 1868
		Candidates						Votes
Party		Standing	Elected	Gained	Unseated	Net	% of total	%	No.	Net %
	Liberal	600	387			+ 18	58.8	61.5	1,428,776	+ 2.0
	Conservative	436	271			- 18	41.2	38.4	903,318	- 2.1
	Others	3	0	0	0	0		0.1	1,157	N/A

Total votes cast: 2,333,251

References

• F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987
• British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher (Ashgate Publishing Ltd 2000)
• Spartacus: Political Parties and Election Results