# Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency)

Isle of Wight (/waɪt/ WYTE) was a constituency that was last represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament from 2017 until 2024 by Bob Seely, a Conservative.
Created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, it covered the whole of the Isle of Wight. It had the largest electorate of any constituency at the 2019 general election.
Following the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, the constituency was abolished for the 2024 general election. The island was divided into two constituencies, Isle of Wight East and Isle of Wight West.

## Boundaries

The Isle of Wight had been a single seat of the House of Commons since 1832. It covered the same land as the ceremonial county of the Isle of Wight and the area administered by the unitary authority, Isle of Wight Council: a diamond-shaped island with rounded oblique corners, measuring 22.5 miles (36.2 km) by 13 miles (21 km), the Needles and similar small uninhabitable rocks of very small square surface area. The island is linked by ferry crossings from four points (five points if counting Cowes and East Cowes separately) to three points in Hampshire: Lymington, Southampton and Portsmouth.
Its electorate of 113,021 at the 2019 general election was the largest in the UK, more than 50% above the UK average: 73,181, and five times the size of the smallest seat: Na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly known as the Western Isles.

### One or two seats problem

The reviews of the Boundary Commission for England since 1954 have consulted locally on splitting the island into two seats (and included occasional proposals for a seat crossing the Solent onto the mainland) but met an overall distaste by the independent commissioners and most consultees and consultation respondents. The consensus of varying panels of Boundary Commissioners, party-interested and neutral commentators is that the island would be best represented by one MP. The Commissioners did make mention perfunctorily of their duty by law to avoid such an extent of malapportionment (termed by most commissioners "leaving the island somewhat oversized"). One problem the independent body cited in 2008 was a difficulty of dividing the island in two in a way that would be acceptable to all major interests. The arbitrary division line problem is routinely encountered in those council areas which have no rural elements or natural divides.
Eventually, under the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, which proposed that the total number of constituencies in the UK Parliament should be reduced from 650 to 600, it was specified that the Isle of Wight should comprise two "protected" seats, meaning that their electorates did not have to be within the statutory range of ±5%. The 2011 Act was amended by the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020 which reversed the decrease in the total number of seats but retained the two protected seats for the Isle of Wight.

### 2024 boundary changes

Under the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the Boundary Commission for England proposed splitting the island into Isle of Wight East (electorate 56,805) and Isle of Wight West (electorate 54,911).
* Isle of Wight East will include the communities of Ryde, Bembridge, Brading, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor;
* Isle of Wight West will include the communities of Newport, East Cowes, Cowes and Freshwater.

## History

Before the Reform Act 1832 (apart from the First Protectorate Parliament (1654–1655), when a whole island constituency existed) the island was usually represented by three Parliamentary boroughs: Newport, Newtown, and Yarmouth, each electing two MPs. The county electorate of the island, which included freeholders qualified by property, was represented by the two MPs for Hampshire. The Reform Act abolished the Newtown and Yarmouth parliamentary boroughs, and a single-member county division of Hampshire was created for the island. The separate and overlapping Newport representation was reduced to one MP in 1868 and finally abolished in 1885. Since then, the whole of the Isle of Wight has been represented by one constituency.
The constituency has traditionally been a battleground between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats and their predecessors. The seat was held by a Liberal from 1974 until 1987, a Conservative until 1997, a Liberal Democrat until 2001, and a Conservative since then.
At the 2015 election, the incumbent Conservative scored one of his party's largest swings against the Liberal Democrats whose candidate finished in fifth place.
In the 2017 general election, the Labour candidate gained second place with the party's best result since 1966. Nick Belfitt, the Liberal Democrat candidate, became the youngest ever candidate to stand for the seat at the age of 23.
At the December 2019 general election, Labour came second, marginally increasing the party's vote total and share of the poll compared to 2017. The Liberal Democrats agreed to stand aside and support the Green Party candidate as part the Unite to Remain agreement between the two parties and Plaid Cymru involving 60 constituencies in England and Wales, with the purpose of increasing the chances of candidates who supported remaining in the European Union.

## Members of Parliament
### Pre 1832

* 1654: Lord Lisle; William Sydenham
* 1830–1831: Horrace Twiss

### Since 1832

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1832 | Sir Richard Simeon, Bt | Whig |
| 1837 | William Holmes à Court | Conservative |
| 1847 | John Simeon | Whig |
| 1851 by-election | Edward Dawes | Radical |
| 1852 | Francis Venables-Vernon-Harcourt | Conservative |
| 1857 | Charles Clifford | Whig |
| 1859 | Charles Clifford | Liberal |
| 1865 | John Simeon | Liberal |
| 1870 by-election | Alexander Baillie-Cochrane | Conservative |
| 1880 | Evelyn Ashley | Liberal |
| 1885 | Richard Webster | Conservative |
| 1900 | John Seely | Conservative |
| 1904 by-election | John Seely | Ind. Conservative |
| 1906 | Godfrey Baring | Liberal |
| 1910 | Douglas Hall | Conservative |
| 1922 | Sir Edgar Chatfeild-Clarke | Liberal |
| 1923 | John Seely | Liberal |
| 1924 | Peter Macdonald | Conservative |
| 1959 | Mark Woodnutt | Conservative |
| February 1974 | Stephen Ross | Liberal |
| 1987 | Barry Field | Conservative |
| 1997 | Peter Brand | Liberal Democrats |
| 2001 | Andrew Turner | Conservative |
| 2017 | Bob Seely | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bob Seely | 41,815 | 56.2 | +4.9 |
| | Labour | Richard Quigley | 18,078 | 24.3 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Vix Lowthion | 11,338 | 15.2 | –2.1 |
| | Ind. Network | Carl Feeney | 1,542 | 2.1 | New |
| | Independent | Karl Love | 874 | 1.2 | New |
| | Independent | Daryll Pitcher | 795 | 1.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,737 | 31.9 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,442 | 65.9 | –1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 113,021 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.8 | |
General election 2017: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Bob Seely | 38,190 | 51.3 | +10.6 |
| | Labour | Julian Critchley | 17,121 | 23.0 | +10.2 |
| | Green | Vix Lowthion | 12,915 | 17.3 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nicholas Belfitt | 2,740 | 3.7 | −3.8 |
| | UKIP | Daryll Pitcher | 1,921 | 2.6 | −18.6 |
| | Independent | Julie Jones-Evans | 1,592 | 2.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,069 | 28.3 | +8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,479 | 67.3 | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 110,683 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
General election 2015: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Turner | 28,591 | 40.7 | −6.0 |
| | UKIP | Iain McKie | 14,888 | 21.2 | +17.7 |
| | Green | Vix Lowthion | 9,404 | 13.4 | +12.1 |
| | Labour | Stewart Blackmore | 8,984 | 12.8 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Goodall | 5,235 | 7.5 | −24.2 |
| | Independent | Ian Stephens | 3,198 | 4.5 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13,703 | 19.5 | +4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70,300 | 65.0 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 108,804 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -11.8 | |
General election 2010: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Turner | 32,810 | 46.7 | −2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jill Wareham | 22,283 | 31.7 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | Mark Chiverton | 8,169 | 11.6 | −5.6 |
| | UKIP | Michael Tarrant | 2,435 | 3.5 | 0.0 |
| | BNP | Geoff Clynch | 1,457 | 2.1 | New |
| | English Democrat | Ian Dunsire | 1,233 | 1.8 | New |
| | Green | Bob Keats | 931 | 1.3 | New |
| | Middle England Party | Paul Martin | 616 | 0.9 | New |
| | Independent | Pete Harris | 175 | 0.2 | New |
| | Independent | Paul Randle-Jolliffe | 89 | 0.1 | New |
| | Independent | Edward Corby | 66 | 0.1 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,527 | 15.0 | −4.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 70,264 | 63.9 | +2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 109,922 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.2 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Turner | 32,717 | 48.9 | +9.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Rowlands | 19,739 | 29.5 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Mark Chiverton | 11,484 | 17.2 | +2.0 |
| | UKIP | Michael Tarrant | 2,352 | 3.5 | +0.2 |
| | Independent | Edward Corby | 551 | 0.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,978 | 19.4 | +15.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 66,843 | 61.3 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 107,737 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.5 | |
General election 2001: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Turner | 25,223 | 39.7 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Brand | 22,397 | 35.3 | −7.4 |
| | Labour | Deborah Gardiner | 9,676 | 15.2 | +2.0 |
| | UKIP | David Lott | 2,106 | 3.3 | +1.8 |
| | Independent | David Holmes | 1,423 | 2.2 | New |
| | Green | Paul Scivier | 1,279 | 2.0 | +1.3 |
| | Isle of Wight Party | Philip Murray | 1,164 | 1.8 | New |
| | Socialist Labour | James Spensley | 214 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,826 | 4.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,482 | 60.8 | −11.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 104,431 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | -6.6 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Brand | 31,274 | 42.7 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Turner | 24,868 | 34.0 | −13.9 |
| | Labour | Deborah Gardiner | 9,646 | 13.2 | +7.2 |
| | Referendum | Tim Bristow | 4,734 | 6.5 | New |
| | UKIP | Malcom Turner | 1,072 | 1.5 | New |
| | Independent | Harry Rees | 848 | 1.2 | New |
| | Green | Paul Scivier | 544 | 0.7 | New |
| | Natural Law | Clive Daly | 87 | 0.1 | −0.3 |
| | Rainbow Warriors | Jonathan Eveleigh | 86 | 0.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,406 | 8.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,193 | 72.0 | −7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 101,680 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.4 | |
General election 1992: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Field | 38,163 | 47.9 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Brand | 36,336 | 45.6 | +2.7 |
| | Labour | Ken Pearson | 4,784 | 6.0 | +0.1 |
| | Natural Law | Clive Daly | 350 | 0.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,827 | 2.3 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 79,633 | 79.8 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 99,839 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.0 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Field | 40,175 | 51.2 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | Michael Young | 33,733 | 42.9 | −8.1 |
| | Labour | Kenn Pearson | 4,626 | 5.9 | +3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,442 | 8.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 78,560 | 79.6 | −0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 98,694 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1983: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ross | 38,407 | 51.0 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Virginia Bottomley | 34,904 | 46.3 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Catherine Wilson | 1,828 | 2.4 | −1.6 |
| | Isle of Wight Residents Party | Thomas McDermott | 208 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,503 | 4.7 | +4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 75,347 | 80.0 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 94,226 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ross | 35,889 | 48.2 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative | Dudley Fishburn | 35,537 | 47.7 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | Catherine Wilson | 3,014 | 4.0 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 352 | 0.5 | −2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,440 | 81.8 | +5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 90,961 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ross | 29,697 | 45.1 | −5.1 |
| | Conservative | Dudley Fishburn | 27,657 | 42.0 | +3.0 |
| | Labour | L.D. Brooke | 8,562 | 13.0 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,040 | 3.1 | −8.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,916 | 76.7 | −4.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 85,897 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ross | 34,808 | 50.2 | +28.0 |
| | Conservative | Mark Woodnutt | 27,042 | 39.0 | −13.4 |
| | Labour | TC Bisson | 7,495 | 10.8 | −11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,766 | 11.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 69,345 | 81.4 | +9.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 85,208 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
General election 1970: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Woodnutt | 30,437 | 52.4 | +3.8 |
| | Labour | Kent Boulton | 13,111 | 22.6 | −6.4 |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ross | 12,883 | 22.2 | −0.2 |
| | Vectis National Party | Ronald W.J Cowdell | 1,607 | 2.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17,326 | 29.8 | +10.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 58,038 | 72.0 | −3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 80,537 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Woodnutt | 25,862 | 48.6 | −4.9 |
| | Labour | Peter Stephenson | 15,411 | 29.0 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal | Stephen Ross | 11,915 | 22.4 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,451 | 19.6 | −2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,188 | 75.0 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 70,877 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Woodnutt | 27,497 | 53.5 | −9.4 |
| | Labour | William Mann | 16,244 | 31.6 | −5.5 |
| | Liberal | Barbara Bliss | 7,666 | 14.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,253 | 21.9 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,407 | 74.3 | +0.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 69,215 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mark Woodnutt | 31,228 | 62.9 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | Edward Cecil Amey | 18,396 | 37.1 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,832 | 25.8 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,624 | 74.1 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 66,939 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1955: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Macdonald | 31,335 | 62.6 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Sydney Conbeer | 18,698 | 37.4 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,637 | 25.2 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,033 | 74.4 | −5.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,297 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Macdonald | 33,501 | 61.8 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | Sydney Conbeer | 20,712 | 38.2 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,789 | 23.6 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,213 | 80.3 | −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,501 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Macdonald | 32,984 | 60.5 | +13.9 |
| | Labour | Sydney Conbeer | 21,496 | 39.5 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,488 | 21.0 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,480 | 80.6 | +4.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 67,581 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Macdonald | 22,036 | 46.6 | −16.58 |
| | Labour | William Miller | 19,252 | 40.7 | +3.87 |
| | Liberal | May O'Conor | 5,967 | 12.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,784 | 5.9 | −20.47 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,255 | 76.0 | +6.56 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 62,364 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General Election 1939–40
Another general election was required to take place before the end of 1940. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Peter Macdonald
* Labour: Robert Arthur Lyster
* Liberal: Helen de Guerry Browne

### Elections in the 1930s

General election 1935: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Macdonald | 26,748 | 63.18 | −14.07 |
| | Labour | William Miller | 15,586 | 36.83 | +14.07 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,162 | 26.35 | −28.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,334 | 69.44 | −1.68 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 60,965 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Macdonald | 32,728 | 77.25 | +29.05 |
| | Labour | James Drummond | 9,639 | 22.75 | +9.05 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,089 | 54.50 | +44.50 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,367 | 71.12 | −7.88 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 59,574 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Peter Macdonald | 21,949 | 48.2 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | St John Hutchinson | 17,383 | 38.1 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | Henry Edward Weaver | 6,256 | 13.7 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,566 | 10.1 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 45,588 | 79.0 | −1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,693 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | -2.3 | |
General election 1924: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Peter Macdonald | 19,346 | 52.4 | +6.1 |
| | Liberal | John Seely | 13,944 | 37.8 | −8.8 |
| | Labour | Henry Edward Weaver | 3,620 | 9.8 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,402 | 14.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,910 | 80.1 | +4.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 46,052 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +7.5 | |
General election 1923: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Seely | 16,249 | 46.6 | +10.4 |
| | Unionist | Peter Macdonald | 16,159 | 46.3 | +14.7 |
| | Labour | Emily Palmer | 2,475 | 7.1 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | 0.3 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,883 | 76.6 | +1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 45,530 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | -2.2 | |
General election 1922: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edgar Chatfeild-Clarke | 12,202 | 36.2 | −4.6 |
| | Unionist | John Perowne | 10,620 | 31.6 | −27.6 |
| | Ind. Unionist | Arthur Veasey | 7,061 | 21.0 | New |
| | Labour | Harold Shearman | 3,756 | 11.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,582 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,639 | 75.4 | +9.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 44,637 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +11.5 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Douglas Hall | 16,274 | 59.2 | +8.4 |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Baring | 11,235 | 40.8 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,039 | 18.4 | +16.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 27,509 | 65.5 | −23.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 42,013 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +8.4 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
Another General Election was required to take place before the end of 1915. The political parties had been making preparations for an election to take place and by July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: Douglas Hall
* Liberal: Godfrey Baring
General election December 1910: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Hall | 7,192 | 50.8 | −0.2 |
| | Liberal | Constantine Scaramanga-Ralli | 6,969 | 49.2 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 223 | 1.6 | −0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,161 | 88.7 | −2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,969 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.2 | |
General election January 1910: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Douglas Hall | 7,414 | 51.0 | +6.8 |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Baring | 7,123 | 49.0 | −6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 291 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,537 | 91.0 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,969 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.8 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Baring | 7,453 | 55.8 | New |
| | Conservative | Anthony Hickman Morgan | 5,892 | 44.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,561 | 11.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,345 | 87.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,193 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
1904 Isle of Wight by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Ind. Conservative | John Seely | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative | Ind. Conservative gain from Conservative |
General election 1900: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Seely | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,494 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
1900 Isle of Wight by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Seely | 6,432 | 54.5 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal | Godfrey Baring | 5,370 | 45.5 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,062 | 9.0 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,802 | 81.4 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,494 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Webster | 5,809 | 52.0 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal | Armine Wodehouse | 5,363 | 48.0 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 446 | 4.0 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,172 | 80.9 | −3.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,816 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.1 | |
General election 1892: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Webster | 5,699 | 52.1 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal | Sigismund Mendl | 5,238 | 47.9 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 461 | 4.2 | −9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,937 | 84.4 | +6.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,957 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.7 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

1886 Isle of Wight by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Webster | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,943 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Webster's appointment as Attorney General of England and Wales.
General election 1886: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Webster | 5,271 | 56.8 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal | John Stuart | 4,013 | 43.2 | −4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,258 | 13.6 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,284 | 77.7 | −10.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,943 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.7 | |
General election 1885: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Webster | 5,495 | 52.1 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal | Evelyn Ashley | 5,059 | 47.9 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 436 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,554 | 88.4 | +8.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,943 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +2.3 | |
General election 1880: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Evelyn Ashley | 1,986 | 50.2 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Temple Cotton | 1,973 | 49.8 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 13 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,959 | 79.9 | +1.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,954 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +0.3 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

General election 1874: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alexander Baillie-Cochrane | 1,614 | 50.1 | +4.9 |
| | Liberal | Evelyn Ashley | 1,605 | 49.9 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,219 | 78.8 | +13.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,084 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +4.9 | |
1870 Isle of Wight by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alexander Baillie-Cochrane | 1,317 | 50.7 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal | George Moffatt | 1,282 | 49.3 | −5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 35 | 1.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,599 | 68.3 | +3.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,807 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.5 | |
* Caused by Simeon's death.

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Simeon | 1,353 | 54.8 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Alexander Baillie-Cochrane | 1,118 | 45.2 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 9.6 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,471 | 64.9 | +0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,807 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
General election 1865: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Simeon | 786 | 52.5 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Charles Locock | 710 | 47.5 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 76 | 5.0 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,496 | 64.6 | −6.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,315 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | +0.4 | |

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles Clifford | 756 | 52.1 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative | Francis Venables-Vernon-Harcourt | 694 | 47.9 | +2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 62 | 4.2 | −4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,450 | 71.1 | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,038 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −2.4 | |
General election 1857: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles Clifford | 730 | 54.5 | +8.0 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Willis Fleming | 610 | 45.5 | −8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 120 | 9.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,340 | 68.8 | −8.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,949 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.0 | |
General election 1852: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Francis Venables-Vernon-Harcourt | 681 | 53.5 | +9.6 |
| | Radical | Edward Dawes | 593 | 46.5 | −9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 88 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,274 | 77.2 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,650 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +9.6 | |
By-election, 29 May 1851: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Edward Dawes | 565 | 52.1 | −4.0 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Snape Hamond | 519 | 47.9 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,084 | 65.7 | −7.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,650 | | |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Swing | −4.0 | |
* Caused by Simeon's resignation after he converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism.

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | John Simeon | 476 | 56.1 | New |
| | Conservative | Thomas Willis Fleming | 373 | 43.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 103 | 12.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 849 | 72.8 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,167 | | |
| | Whig gain from Conservative | Whig gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1841: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William à Court-Holmes | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,167 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William à Court-Holmes | 628 | 52.9 | +11.8 |
| | Whig | Dudley Pelham | 560 | 47.1 | −11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 68 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,188 | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | | | |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +11.8 | |
General election 1835: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Richard Simeon | 483 | 58.9 | −27.5 |
| | Conservative | George Henry Ward | 337 | 41.1 | +27.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 146 | 17.8 | −55.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 820 | c. 70.3 | c. −0.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | c. 1,167 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −27.5 | |
General election 1832: Isle of Wight :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Richard Simeon | 712 | 86.4 |
| | Tory | Alexander Glynn Campbell | 112 | 13.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 600 | 72.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 824 | 70.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,167 | |
| | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) | Whig win (new seat) |