The 1867 Reform Act was to greatly increase the size of the
electorate – to a much greater extent than the 1832 Reform Act.
The 1867 Reform Act became a battle of political wills between
Benjamin Disraeli and William Gladstone with Disraeli doing all
that he could to take any form of political credit away from
Gladstone. The result was an expansion of the electorate that
was far greater than anyone had expected. This can best be seen
in the elections immediately before and after the act. In
England in the 1865 election, a total of 697,932 votes were
cast. In England in the 1868 election, a total of 1,996,704 were
cast. In Wales in the 1865 election, a total of 6,165 votes were
cast. In Wales in the 1868 election, a total of 82,122 votes
were cast. In Scotland in the 1865 election, a total of 47,785
votes were cast. In Scotland in the 1868 election, a total of
149,341 votes were cast. In Ireland in the 1865 election, a
total of 93,029 votes were cast. In Ireland in the 1868
election, a total of 93,416 votes we