Poll Books c. 1696-1872 A Directory of Holdings in Great Britain 3rd Edition

Until 1872, when the secret ballot was introduced, voting was a public matter, and a record of just how people voted was frequently published. Going back to the 1690s, poll books list the names and parishes of the voters, often noting their occupations and voting qualifications, with their choice of candidate. Genealogists find these poll books indispensable because they identify individuals by parish, thus pointing the way to the location of other invaluable records. This guide lists concisely the location of all known printed and manuscript poll books in public repositories throughout England, Wales, and Scotland.