# North Dorset (UK Parliament constituency)

North Dorset is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Simon Hoare of the Conservative Party.

## History

This seat was created by the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885, since which it has been won at elections by candidates from only two parties. For nineteen of the years between 1885 and 1950, North Dorset was represented by Liberals, and at all other times since 1885 it has been represented by Conservatives. It is historically one of Labour's weakest seats in the country - for example, it gave the party its lowest vote share out of all the seats it contested in 1950 and 1951.

## Constituency profile

The constituency covers North Dorset local government district and most (geographically) of East Dorset. It is largely rural, with a lower than average proportion of social housing and five small towns shown in the infobox. The largest town is Verwood, and the most central is the market town of Blandford Forum, north of the port of Poole.

## Boundaries

1885–1918: The Borough of Shaftesbury, the Sessional Divisions of Blandford, Shaftesbury, and Sturminster, and part of the Sessional Division of Sherborne.
1918–1950: The Boroughs of Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury, the Urban District of Sherborne, the Rural Districts of Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sherborne, and Sturminster, and part of the Rural District of Wimborne and Cranborne.
1950–1974: The Boroughs of Blandford Forum and Shaftesbury, the Urban District of Wimborne Minster, and the Rural Districts of Blandford, Shaftesbury, Sturminster, and Wimborne and Cranborne.
1974–1983: As 1950 but with redrawn boundaries.
1983–1997: The District of North Dorset, the District of Wimborne wards of Colehill, Corfe Mullen Central, Corfe Mullen North, Corfe Mullen South, Crane, Holt, Sixpenny Handley, Sturminster Marshall, Vale of Allen, and Wimborne Minster, and the District of Purbeck wards of Lytchett Matravers and Lytchett Minster.
1997–2010: The District of North Dorset, and the District of East Dorset wards of Colehill, Crane, Holt, Longham, Sixpenny Handley, Stapehill, Sturminster Marshall, Vale of Allen, and Wimborne Minster.
2010–2024: The District of North Dorset, and the District of East Dorset wards of Alderholt, Crane, Handley Vale, Holt, Stour, Three Cross and Potterne, Verwood Dewlands, Verwood Newtown, and Verwood Stephen's Castle.
2024–present: The District of Dorset wards of Beacon, Blackmore Vale, Blandford, Cranborne & Alderholt, Cranborne Chase, Gillingham, Hill Forts & Upper Tarrants, Puddletown & Lower Winterborne, Shaftesbury Town, Stalbridge & Marnhull, Sturminster Newton, Verwood, and Winterborne North.
Minor changes following re-organisation of local authorities and wards in Dorset.

## Members of Parliament

| Election | Member | Party |
| 1885 | Edwin Berkeley Portman | Liberal |
| 1892 | John Wingfield Digby | Conservative |
| 1905 by-election | Arthur Walters Wills | Liberal |
| January 1910 | Sir Randolf Baker | Conservative |
| 1918 | Philip Colfox | Unionist |
| 1922 | John Emlyn-Jones | Liberal |
| 1924 | Sir Cecil Hanbury | Unionist |
| 1937 by-election | Angus Hambro | Conservative |
| 1945 | Frank Byers | Liberal |
| 1950 | Robert Crouch | Conservative |
| 1957 by-election | Richard Glyn | Conservative |
| 1970 | David James | Conservative |
| 1979 | Sir Nicholas Baker | Conservative |
| 1997 | Robert Walter | Conservative |
| 2015 | Simon Hoare | Conservative |

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hoare | 18,208 | 36.6 | −27.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gary Jackson | 16,619 | 33.5 | +13.1 |
| | Reform UK | Ash Leaning | 7,894 | 15.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | James Coldwell | 4,370 | 8.8 | −3.1 |
| | Green | Ken Huggins | 2,082 | 4.2 | +0.3 |
| | Independent | Si Adams | 317 | 0.6 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Jeff Taylor | 119 | 0.2 | N/A |
| | SDP | Daniel Woodruffe | 74 | 0.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,589 | 3.1 | −40.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,683 | 68.3 | −5.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 72,690 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | –20.2 | |

### Elections in the 2010s

2019 notional result :
| Party | Party | Vote | % |
| | Conservative | 34,085 | 63.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 10,890 | 20.4 |
| | Labour | 6,379 | 11.9 |
| | Green | 2,110 | 3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | 53,464 | 74.1 |
| Electorate | Electorate | 72,109 |
General election 2019: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hoare | 35,705 | 63.6 | −1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Chadwick | 11,404 | 20.3 | +6.8 |
| | Labour | Pat Osborne | 6,737 | 12.0 | −6.6 |
| | Green | Ken Huggins | 2,261 | 4.0 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24,301 | 43.3 | −3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,107 | 73.9 | −0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2017: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hoare | 36,169 | 64.9 | +8.3 |
| | Labour | Pat Osborne | 10,392 | 18.6 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Panton | 7,556 | 13.6 | +1.9 |
| | Green | John Tutton | 1,607 | 2.9 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25,777 | 46.3 | +6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,724 | 74.0 | +2.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.7 | |
General election 2015: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hoare | 30,227 | 56.6 | +5.5 |
| | UKIP | Steve Unwin | 9,109 | 17.1 | +11.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugo Miéville | 6,226 | 11.7 | −25.3 |
| | Labour | Kim Fendley | 4,785 | 9.0 | +3.6 |
| | Green | Richard Barrington | 3,038 | 5.7 | +4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21,118 | 39.5 | +25.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 53,385 | 71.6 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 2010: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Walter | 27,640 | 51.1 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emily Gasson | 20,015 | 37.0 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Mike Bunney | 2,910 | 5.4 | −4.2 |
| | UKIP | Jeremy Nieboer | 2,812 | 5.2 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Anna Hayball | 546 | 1.0 | −1.3 |
| | Monster Raving Loony | Roger Monksummers | 218 | 0.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,625 | 14.1 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 54,141 | 73.5 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.8 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Walter | 23,714 | 44.9 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emily Gasson | 21,470 | 40.7 | +2.0 |
| | Labour | John Yarwood | 4,596 | 8.7 | −2.5 |
| | UKIP | Richard Hobbs | 1,918 | 3.6 | +1.5 |
| | Green | Ralph Arliss | 1,117 | 2.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,244 | 4.2 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,815 | 71.1 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.9 | |
General election 2001: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Walter | 22,314 | 46.7 | +2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emily Gasson | 18,517 | 38.7 | −0.4 |
| | Labour | Mark Wareham | 5,334 | 11.2 | +1.0 |
| | UKIP | Peter Jenkins | 1,019 | 2.1 | +0.6 |
| | Lower Excise Duty Party | Joseph Duthie | 391 | 0.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Cora Bone | 246 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,797 | 8.0 | +2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 47,821 | 66.3 | −10.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.4 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Walter | 23,294 | 44.3 | −10.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paula Yates | 20,548 | 39.1 | +0.6 |
| | Labour | John Fitzmaurice | 5,380 | 10.2 | +3.3 |
| | Referendum | Margaret Evans | 2,564 | 4.9 | N/A |
| | UKIP | David Wheeler | 801 | 1.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,746 | 5.2 | −10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 52,587 | 76.3 | −5.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.5 | |
General election 1992: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Baker | 34,234 | 54.6 | −2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | LE Siegle | 24,154 | 38.5 | +2.2 |
| | Labour | JF Fitzmaurice | 4,360 | 6.9 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,080 | 16.1 | −4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 62,748 | 81.8 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.3 | |

### Elections in the 1980s

General election 1987: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Baker | 32,854 | 57.0 | −1.1 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey William Tapper | 20,947 | 36.4 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | Joseph Hanley | 3,819 | 6.6 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,907 | 20.6 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,620 | 79.1 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -0.7 | |
General election 1983: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Baker | 30,058 | 58.1 | −4.1 |
| | Liberal | Geoffrey W Tapper | 18,678 | 36.1 | +10.1 |
| | Labour | Jennifer Fox | 2,710 | 5.2 | −6.5 |
| | Wessex Regionalist | David Fox | 294 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11,380 | 22.0 | −14.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,740 | 76.6 | −3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.1 | |

### Elections in the 1970s

General election 1979: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicholas Baker | 40,046 | 62.2 | +11.0 |
| | Liberal | G Court | 16,750 | 26.0 | −10.0 |
| | Labour | MC Rowlands | 7,543 | 11.7 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23,296 | 36.2 | +21.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 64,339 | 79.7 | +0.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election October 1974: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David James | 28,891 | 51.2 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal | Philip Watkins | 20,350 | 36.0 | −3.2 |
| | Labour | TG Jones | 7,245 | 12.8 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,541 | 15.2 | +3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 56,486 | 79.2 | −5.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election February 1974: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David James | 30,288 | 50.7 |
| | Liberal | Philip Watkins | 23,405 | 39.2 |
| | Labour | TG Smith | 6,032 | 10.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,883 | 11.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 59,725 | 84.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
General election 1970: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David James | 28,471 | 57.9 | +9.7 |
| | Liberal | Philip Watkins | 12,095 | 24.6 | −10.6 |
| | Labour | Haydn R White | 8,626 | 17.5 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16,376 | 33.3 | +20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 49,192 | 78.5 | −2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1960s

General election 1966: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Glyn | 20,520 | 48.2 | −0.6 |
| | Liberal | Richard Anthony Lamb | 15,005 | 35.2 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Jack R Rutland | 7,090 | 16.6 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,515 | 13.0 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,615 | 81.3 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1964: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Glyn | 19,898 | 48.6 | −4.2 |
| | Liberal | Richard Anthony Lamb | 14,768 | 36.1 | +5.9 |
| | Labour | John F Armstrong | 6,253 | 15.3 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,130 | 12.5 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,919 | 81.7 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1950s

General election 1959: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Glyn | 20,255 | 52.8 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal | John Emlyn-Jones | 11,604 | 30.2 | −2.2 |
| | Labour | Herbert J Dutfield | 6,548 | 17.0 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,651 | 22.6 | +2.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,407 | 82.0 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
1957 North Dorset by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Glyn | 15,513 | 45.1 | −7.0 |
| | Liberal | John Emlyn-Jones | 12,411 | 36.1 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Herbert J Dutfield | 6,278 | 18.3 | +2.8 |
| | Independent | H C Wright | 170 | 0.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,102 | 9.0 | −10.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,372 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.4 | |
General election 1955: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Crouch | 18,906 | 52.1 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal | Michael Portman | 11,747 | 32.4 | −12.6 |
| | Labour | Herbert J Dutfield | 5,633 | 15.5 | +7.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,159 | 19.7 | +17.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,286 | 82.2 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1951: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Crouch | 17,392 | 47.0 | +3.7 |
| | Liberal | Frank Byers | 16,645 | 45.0 | +1.9 |
| | Labour | J. R. Tudor Griffith | 2,946 | 8.0 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 747 | 2.0 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,983 | 86.4 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1950: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Crouch | 15,324 | 43.3 | −3.0 |
| | Liberal | Frank Byers | 15,227 | 43.1 | −10.6 |
| | Labour | J. R. Tudor Griffith | 4,807 | 13.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 0.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,358 | 85.0 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1940s

General election 1945: Dorset Northern :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Frank Byers | 14,444 | 53.7 | +15.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Glyn | 12,479 | 46.3 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,965 | 7.40 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,923 | 75.04 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | 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 and by the Autumn of 1939, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Angus Hambro
* Liberal: Frank Byers
* Labour: CL Lander

### Elections in the 1930s

1937 North Dorset by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Angus Hambro | 12,247 | 51.1 | +1.0 |
| | Liberal | William Borthwick | 11,704 | 48.9 | +11.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 543 | 2.2 | −10.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 23,951 | 73.4 | −6.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -5.0 | |
General election 1935: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cecil Hanbury | 13,055 | 50.1 | −9.1 |
| | Liberal | William Borthwick | 9,871 | 37.9 | −2.9 |
| | Independent Agriculturalist | George Pitt-Rivers | 1,771 | 6.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | M M Whitehead | 1,360 | 5.2 | n/a |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,184 | 12.2 | −6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,057 | 79.7 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.1 | |
General election 1931: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cecil Hanbury | 15,499 | 59.2 | +11.9 |
| | Liberal | William Borthwick | 10,682 | 40.8 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,817 | 18.4 | +14.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 26,181 | 82.1 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.5 | |

### Elections in the 1920s

General election 1929: North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Cecil Hanbury | 12,203 | 47.3 | −6.0 |
| | Liberal | William Borthwick | 11,281 | 43.8 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | Colin Clark | 2,298 | 8.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 922 | 3.5 | −3.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 25,782 | 81.4 | −5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 31,684 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | −1.6 | |
General election 1924: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Cecil Hanbury | 11,819 | 53.3 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal | John Emlyn-Jones | 10,341 | 46.7 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,478 | 6.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 22,160 | 86.5 | +2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,616 | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.1 | |
General election 1923:North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Emlyn-Jones | 10,992 | 51.8 | −0.5 |
| | Unionist | Cecil Hanbury | 10,211 | 48.2 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 781 | 3.6 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,203 | 84.3 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 25,160 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −0.5 | |
General election 1922:North Dorset :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | John Emlyn-Jones | 10,805 | 52.3 | +3.0 |
| | Unionist | Cecil Hanbury | 9,869 | 47.7 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 936 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 20,674 | 84.2 | +23.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,539 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | +3.0 | |

### Elections in the 1910s

General election 1918: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| C | Unionist | Philip Colfox | 7,532 | 50.7 | +0.5 |
| | Liberal | John Emlyn-Jones | 7,320 | 49.3 | −0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 212 | 1.4 | +1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,852 | 61.0 | −29.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 24,334 | | |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | +0.5 | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
General election December 1910: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Randolf Baker | 3,919 | 50.2 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Wills | 3,887 | 49.8 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 | 0.4 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,806 | 90.6 | −2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,616 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 | |
General election January 1910: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Randolf Baker | 4,093 | 50.9 | +5.1 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Wills | 3,944 | 49.1 | −5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 149 | 1.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,037 | 93.3 | +3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,616 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.1 | |

### Elections in the 1900s

General election January 1906: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Wills | 4,153 | 54.2 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Randolf Baker | 3,508 | 45.8 | −8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 645 | 8.4 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,661 | 90.2 | +7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,490 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +8.1 | |
1905 North Dorset by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Wills | 4,239 | 56.0 | +9.9 |
| | Conservative | Randolf Baker | 3,330 | 44.0 | −9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 909 | 12.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,569 | 90.8 | +8.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,338 | | |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | +9.9 | |
General election January 1900: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Kenelm Wingfield Digby | 3,705 | 53.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal | George Hamilton-Gordon | 3,165 | 46.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 540 | 7.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,870 | 82.6 | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,318 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Kenelm Wingfield Digby | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1892: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Kenelm Wingfield Digby | 3,981 | 53.5 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Arnold | 3,456 | 46.5 | −5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 525 | 7.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,437 | 85.3 | +4.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,714 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +5.2 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edwin Berkeley Portman | 3,571 | 51.7 | −8.2 |
| | Liberal Unionist | Evelyn Ashley | 3,336 | 48.3 | +8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 3.4 | −16.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,907 | 81.0 | −7.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,522 | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −8.2 | |
General election 1885: Dorset North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Edwin Berkeley Portman | 4,520 | 59.9 | |
| | Conservative | Humphrey Sturt | 3,031 | 40.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,489 | 19.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,551 | 88.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,522 | | |
| | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) | Liberal win (new seat) |