General Election, four stages in the process

May 05, 1955 - General Election : On the 26th of this month the British people will exercise a right won and guarded through the centuries - that of saying undeniably who shall govern them. By free and secret ballot they will name the occupants of 630 seats in Parliament. They call it a general election, and here is how they will do it. Picture shows top left, nomination of candidates. Four parliamentary candidates (liberal, labour, conservative and independent) hand in their nomination papers to the returning officer in the presence of the town's Mayor (left). Top right Canvassing: political party representatives call on two local residents to try to persuade them to vote for their party candidate. Bottom left, counting the votes. After the closing of the polling stations officials count the votes cast for each candidate. Bottom right, Election officials: polling officers sign a declaration of secrecy at St Pancras Town Hall, London

Restrictions Only for United Kingdom

Ballot Campaigning Candidates Canvassing Centuries Counting Declaration Govern Guarded Nomination Occupants Pancras Parliamentary Persuade Polling Presence Residents Returning Saying Seats Secrecy Shall Stages

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