Elected and Ex-Officio Guardians

The Ex-Officio Guardians elected representatives from among themselves. Elected guardians were returned from the various electoral divisions of the Union. Towns had more guardians than rural areas. Elections for seats were usually held around the 25th March each year, and the new guardians took up duty in April. Guardians had to be of full age and cess payers. They were nominated by a person entitled to vote. All landlords or property owners whose property was valued at over £4 had a vote. If their property was valued over £200 they had the maximum six votes. Occupiers of property in the Union with a cess (a kind of tax) exceeding ten shillings also had the franchise.

By the late 1840's the proportion of ex-officio to elected guardians had increased to 50%