| 1. | (before the Reform Bill of 1832) any English borough that had very few voters yet was represented in Parliament. |
| 2. | an election district that has more representatives in a legislative body than the number of its constituents would normally call for. |
| rotten borough n. An election district having only a few voters but the same voting power as other more populous districts. |
rotten borough
depopulated election district that retains its original representation. The term was first applied by English parliamentary reformers of the early 19th century to such constituencies maintained by the crown or by an aristocratic patron to control seats in the House of Commons. Just before the passage of the Reform Act of 1832, more than 140 parliamentary seats of a total of 658 were in rotten boroughs, 50 of which had fewer than 50 voters. See also pocket borough.
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