Political cartoons are part of the democratic process and a century ago were often widely available as postcards despite their ephemeral nature. The first humorous picture of an election candidate shows him begging for the gentleman’s vote then ignoring him after the election.

Before and after the election, by Martin Anderson (Cynicus)

The second humorous picture shows two election candidates wooing a voter whom most of the time they utterly ignore.

The only time he is considered, by Martin Anderson (Cynicus)

The third humorous picture shows the election candidate dreaming of his election success.

The General Election: the candidate's vision

Many more pictures relating to elections can be seen at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of British voters show members of the electorate in the polling booths and on their way to cast their vote. The first picture shows two very different voters, one a country yokel the other a clerk.

The First Vote, the Last Vote by Harry Furniss

The second picture shows a blind voter being helped to mark the ballot paper.

Election Time, the Blind Voter by George Harcourt

The third picture shows a photograph of a polling station in the 1890s.

"The People's Will": Voting by Ballot at a Parliamentary Election

Many more pictures relating to elections can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

Electioneering involves canvassing voters to win their vote and a century ago, before they themselves were able to vote, women were used to canvas male voters in a shamelessly flirtatious way which would now be considered politically incorrect. The best pictures of women canvassing male voters are both serious and amusing.
The first picture shows a Lady Mayoress canvassing an apparently sceptical working man in a cafe.

In a Hotly Contested Constituency, the Lady Mayoress canvassing, by Frank Craig

The second picture shows two attractive women canvassing a bemused shopkeeper.

The General Election – Canvassing

The third picture shows the Duchess of Devonshire giving a kiss to a butcher for his vote.

The General Election, Canvassing in the Olden Time

Many more pictures relating to elections can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

The best pictures of 10 Downing Street show the famous house, home to British Prime Ministers, at different moments in its famous history.The first picture of 10 Downing Street shows the entire street with the Old Colonial Offices or Foreign Office in the late eighteenth century.

Downing Street, Whitehall, Westminster

The second picture of 10 Downing Street is a photograph taken early in the twentieth century.

10 Downing Street, Whitehall

The third picture of 10 Downing Street shows the famous Cabinet Room.

The Cabinet Room, 10 Downing Street, Whitehall by Charles Edwin Flower

The best pictures of the Houses of Parliament at Westminster in London are usually views across the Thames towards the famous buildings. The first picture of the Houses of Parliament is a view which includes Westminster Bridge.

Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge

The second picture of the Houses of Parliament is a view across the river at nightfall.

The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge

The third picture of the Houses of Parliament is a very unusual view taken from the air and is a photograph of the Houses of Parliament and the shadow the buildings cast on the Thames.

The shadow of the Houses of Parliament at Westminster from the air

The best pictures of the Liberal politician, Prime Minister and statesman, David Lloyd George, show him as a young and famously white-haired old man. The first picture is a studio photograph of Lloyd George which captures his legendary charm.

David Lloyd George. British Liberal politician, statesman and Prime Minister.

The second picture of David Lloyd George shows him as an elder statesman with benign expression and in characteristic dress and pose.

The Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George. British Liberal politician, statesman and Prime Minister.

The third picture of Lloyd George is a colourful portrait of the great Liberal statesman.

The Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George

The best pictures of William Gladstone show the great Victorian statesman and four-times Liberal Prime Minister in the House of Commons and on the election campaign. The first picture of William Ewart Gladstone shows an official photographic portrait of him taken in mid-career.

William Ewart Gladstone, British Liberal statesman, photograph by Maull & Polyblank

The second picture of William Gladstone shows him introducing the Irish Home Rule Bill to the House of Commons.

William Ewart Gladstone, British Liberal statesman, closing his peroration on Irish Home Rule

The third picture of W.E.Gladstone shows him on the famous Midlothian Election campaign when he famously won another term.

Mr Gladstone, accompanied by his wife, addressing the Crowd from the Balcony of Lord Rosebery's House in George Street after the Midlothian Election, 5 April 1880 by S Begg

The best pictures of Benjamin Disraeli, twice the Conservative Prime Minister, show him in the House of Commons where he dazzled Parliament with his oratory and wit. The first picture of Disraeli, or ‘Dizzie’ as he was nicknamed, shows him making his famous maiden speech in all his dandyish splendour.

Benjamin Disraeli during his maiden speech to Parliament, 7 December 1837, by Paul Rainer

The second picture of Disraeli shows a portrait of him in later life.

Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield

The third picture of Benjamin Disraeli, later 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, shows a contemporary political cartoon of him as an elder statesman.

Benjamin Disraeli