Start of Democracy in the Strath
The effect of the Reform Act was considerable. Before 1832 the Scottish Parliamentary electorate had been about 5,000 adult males. Following the passing of the Act, the number of Scottish MP's increased from 45 to 53 and the franchise increased by an even greater proportion, growing from under 5,000 of the 2,300,000 population to 65,000 voters (now covering householders of £10 value in the burghs and property owners of £10 or tenants of £50 rental in the country seats). In Strathearn , as elsewhere things were beginning to become more democratic . Instead of a handful of local land owners standing at the Square and voting publicly for their choice , it became a more private and more akin to modern procedures . Most of the new voters in the Strath were small tenant farmers .Below I have included transcriptions from the new Rolls for Crieff , Comrie and Auchterarder . Alphabetical List of the ELECTORS Of The Parish of Crieff In The Count