▁properties ▁for ▁which ▁they ▁paid ▁rates ▁( res idence ▁and ▁business ▁prem ises ). ▁ ▁Pol ling ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁November , ▁except ▁when ▁this ▁fell ▁on ▁a ▁Sunday , ▁in ▁which ▁case ▁it ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁Monday , ▁the ▁second ▁of ▁November . ▁This ▁continued ▁from ▁ 1 8 3 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁when ▁the ▁Represent ation ▁of ▁the ▁People ▁Act ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁changed ▁election ▁day ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁Th urs day ▁in ▁May . ▁ ▁An ▁Ald erman ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁Council ▁as ▁the ▁Return ing ▁officer ▁for ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁w ards ▁and ▁two ▁assess ors . ▁ ▁Pol ling ▁began ▁at ▁ 9 ▁a . m . ▁and ▁ran ▁until ▁ 4 ▁p . m ., ▁but ▁the ▁P rec iding ▁Offic ers ▁had ▁the ▁power ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁poll ▁at ▁any ▁time ▁before ▁four ▁o ' clock , ▁if ▁an ▁hour ▁had ▁el apsed ▁during ▁which ▁no ▁votes ▁were ▁cast . ▁Even ▁when ▁a ▁candidate ▁was ▁uno pp osed , ▁the ▁pol ls ▁were ▁opened . ▁Usually ▁a ▁very ▁small ▁number ▁of ▁votes ▁were ▁cast ▁and ▁the ▁pol ling ▁was ▁closed ▁early . ▁ ▁Tre ating ▁was ▁common ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁criminal ised ▁by ▁the ▁Cor rupt ▁and ▁Il legal ▁Pract ices ▁Pre vention ▁Act ▁ 1 8 8 3 . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁usually ▁one ▁pol ling ▁place ▁in ▁each ▁w ard . ▁Loc ations ▁used ▁included ▁private ▁houses , ▁sh ops , ▁coffee ▁houses