Talk:Bill Boaks

A fact from Bill Boaks appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 22 December 2004. The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that Bill Boaks, a retired Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander, won only 5 votes (a record low in a British Parliamentary election) in a 1982 by-election?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2004/December.

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Untitled

I think the lowest vote recorded in a British election was zero, for the Temperence candidate in Ripon, North Yorkshire. Unfortunately I can't find any records to back this up but it was a popular part of local history when I lived there.

This was before universal franchise and refers to F.R. Lees, "Temperance Chartist" in an 1860 byelection. Lees did have supporters but they were under the impression that he had withdrawn and the election was unopposed. There are numerous examples of candidates getting tiny numbers of vote pre-1885 but that was in the days when voting was in public and so candidates often withdrew after only a few voters had the oppportunity to vote because it was clear they would not win. Also, some returning officers insisted on formally opening the poll even when candidates had withdrawn, then closing it after a few votes had been cast. Boaks' achievement represents the equal lowest total of any active candidate who actually wanted to win. Dbiv 13:08, 22 Dec 2004 (UTC)

but when revisions to electoral law allowed candidates to have a six letter description of their candidature on the ballot paper, he settled on "Public Safety Democratic Monarchist White Resident"
Shouldn't that be 'six word'? — KayEss | talk 17:23, 12 July 2005 (UTC)[reply]

General Problems

This article has some fundamental problems. Having read it, I only barely understand who Bill Boaks (many sources seem to list him as Boakes) is.

For example, he apparently has an infamous armoured tricycle, but the article only mentions it once.

The first thing we learn about his road safety campaign is that he wasn't for the banning of all motor vehicles.

I'd do some cleanup, but I have no sources and can't seem to find any that are this detailed.

gnfnrf (talk) 14:46, 6 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]

As a political campaigner in the 70s, I remember Boaks well. He was an archetypal English eccentric, held in great affection - even by people who didn't vote for him. This article is accurate as far as I can recall. I remember a reading a profile/potted biography of him in a national newspaper, possibly The Observer. I imagine a number of newspapers will have material about him in their archives. Sasha (talk) 14:06, 6 May 2010 (UTC)[reply]

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Participate in the deletion discussion at the nomination page. —Community Tech bot (talk) 19:36, 24 December 2021 (UTC)[reply]