 Votes had to be cast by a spoken declaration, in public, at the hustings.In 1800 there were around 3000 electors, with elections in this seat being nearly always contested.The borough returned several notable Members of Parliament including Prime Minister George Canning, William Huskisson, President of the Board of Trade, Banastre Tarleton, noted soldier in the American War of Independence and most notably, William Roscoe the abolitionist and Anti Slave Trade campaigner.