App. a transferred use of FAGGOT sb. 7, ‘dummy’ soldier; as many faggot-votes were often created at one time by the practice (forbidden in 7 & 8 Will. III., c. 25) of subdividing a single tenement among a number of nominal owners, the word was naturally interpreted as alluding to the primary sense ‘bundle of sticks.’
A vote manufactured for party purposes, by the transfer to persons, not otherwise legally qualified, of sufficient property to qualify them as electors.
1817. Sir F. Burdett, in Parl. Deb., 1368. Lord Lonsdale had conveyed to him a certain property, on which he was to vote in that borough, as, what was familiarly called a faggot vote.
1836. Disraeli, Lett. to Lord John Russell, Runnymede, 60. Notwithstanding your base powers and your father’s fagot votes, the gentlemen of England inflicted upon you an indelible brand, and expelled you from your own country.
1879. Daily News, 16 April, 2/2. Attempts to tamper with the register by the introduction of what are termed faggot votes.
Hence Faggot-voter, -voting.
1880. Gladstone, in Pall Mall G., 14 July, 2/1. The subject of the fagot voter.
1887. Times (weekly ed.), 28 Oct., 7/2. The question of faggot-voting.
