Before we start this History Extra podcast, we want to tell you a bit about this week's sponsor, Warner Hotels.

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Welcome to the History Extra podcast, fascinating historical conversations from the makers of BBC

History magazine.

It might be hard to imagine today, but there was a time when who you voted for in a general

election was a matter of public record.

And if you were working class or a woman, you wouldn't

have been able to vote at all. How recognizable would general election campaigns of the 19th and

early 20th centuries be to voters today? And what were some of the biggest electioneering gaffs

along the way? Here, speaking with James Osborne for today's Everything You Wanted to

know episode, Professor Richard Toy delves into the history of the United Kingdom's general elections.

Today we're exploring the history of general elections in the UK and are joined by Professor

Richard Toy who will guide us to the topic. Richard, thanks for joining us.

Pleasure to be here.

I wanted to start by talking about how things were different with elections and with the

process of voting prior to the emergence of the secret ballot.

...