# Preston (UK Parliament constituency)

Preston is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2000 by Sir Mark Hendrick, a member of the Labour Party and Co-operative Party.

## History
### 1295–1950

The seat was created for the Model Parliament and sent members until at least 1331 until a new (possibly confirmatory) grant of two members to Westminster followed. From 1529 extending unusually beyond the 19th century until the 1950 general election the seat had two-member representation. Party divisions tended to run stronger after 1931 before which two different parties' candidates frequently came first and second at elections under the bloc vote system.
In 1929, a recently elected Liberal, Sir William Jowitt decided to join the Labour Party and called for a by-election (which implies a single vacancy) to support this change of party, which he won, to take up for two years the position of Attorney General of England and Wales as part of the Government. He became the highest judge during the Attlee Ministry, the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and Speaker of the House of Lords under a then hereditary-dominated House leading to a Conservative majority. Consequently, he was selected to be elevated to a peerage as 1st Earl Jowitt. With no sons, he was to be the last Earl and wrote the Dictionary of English Law.

### 1950–1983

Preston was abolished as a constituency by the Representation of the People Act 1948, being replaced by the Preston North and Preston South constituencies for the 1950 general election.

### 1983–present

Since the seat's revival after being split for 33 years into the larger North and South seats, all representatives have been members of the Labour Party.
The member from 1987 to 2000 was Audrey Wise, a member of the Socialist Campaign Group and reformer of maternity healthcare in opposition on the Select Committee.

## Boundaries
### Two-member seat

1832–1868: The old borough of Preston, and the township of Fishwick.
1868–1885: The existing parliamentary borough, excluding such part (if any) as lies on the south side of the River Ribble.
1885–1918: The existing parliamentary borough, so much of the municipal borough of Preston as was not already included in the parliamentary borough, so much of the parish of Lea, Ashton, Ingol, and Cottam, and of the parish of Penwortham, as were added to the municipal borough of Preston on 1 June 1889 by the Ribble Navigation and Preston Dock Act 1883, and the local government district of Fulwood.
1918–1950: County borough of Preston and urban district of Fulwood:

### Single-member seat

1983–1997: The Borough of Preston wards of Ashton, Avenham, Brookfield, Central, Deepdale, Fishwick, Ingol, Larches, Moorbrook, Park, Ribbleton, St John's, St Matthew's, and Tulketh.
The boundaries of the re-established constituency corresponded to those of former County Borough, with Fulwood being included in the new seat of Ribble Valley.
1997–2010: The Borough of Preston wards of Ashton, Avenham, Brookfield, Central, Deepdale, Fishwick, Larches, Moor Park, Ribbleton, Riversway, St Matthew's, and Tulketh, and the Borough of South Ribble wards of Bamber Bridge Central, Bamber Bridge South, and Walton-le-Dale.
Ingol ward was transferred to Fylde. The Borough of South Ribble wards were transferred from the constituency of South Ribble.
2010–2018: The City of Preston wards of Ashton, Brookfield, Deepdale, Fishwick, Ingol, Larches, Moor Park, Ribbleton, Riversway, St George's, St Matthew's, Town Centre, Tulketh, and University.
Movements in 1997 reversed.
The ward of Lea was within the constituency of Fylde. The wards of Preston Rural North, Preston Rural East and the Fulwood wards (Cadley, College, Garrison, Greyfriars and Sharoe Green) were within the constituency of Wyre and Preston North. By the end of the review, the newly recommended Preston constituency had the smallest number of voters of an English constituency based on 2006 electorates.
2018–2024: In full: Ashton, Brookfield, City Centre, Deepdale, Fishwick and Frenchwood, Plungington, Ribbleton, St Matthews. In part: Cadley (shared with Wyre and Preston North), Ingol and Cottam (shared with Fylde), Lea and Larches (shared with Fylde).
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England modified Preston City Council's ward boundaries and names in 2018, which altered the contents, but not the boundaries of the Parliamentary constituency of Preston. Due to the changes, some wards were shared with neighbouring seats.
2024–present: The City of Preston wards of Ashton, Brookfield, Cadley, City Centre, Deepdale, Fishwick & Frenchwood, Garrison, Ingol & Cottam, Lea & Larches, Plungington, Ribbleton, and St Matthew's.
The constituency was expanded to bring the electorate within the permitted range by transferring in the part wards currently in the Fylde constituency, together with the remainder of the Cadley ward and the Garrison ward from Wyre and Preston North (abolished).

## Members of Parliament
### MPs 1295–1640

| Parliament | First member | Second member |
| 1295 | Willielmus fil' (filius) Pauli | Adam Russel |
| 1298 | Adam fil' Radulfi | Adam de Biri |
| 1300/1 | Willielmus fil' Paulini |
| 1304/5 | Robertus fil' Willelmi de Preston | Hernricus fil' Willelmi del Tounhende |
| 1306/7 | Robertus fil' Rogeri | Ricardus Banastre |
| 1307 | Henricus del Krykestyle | Ricardus Banastre |
| 1326/7 | Laurencius Travers | Willelmus de Graistok |
| 1327 (Nov) | John Stakky | Henry Banastre |
| 1328/9 (Feb) | Willielmus fil' Paulini | Nicholaus de Preston |
| 1330 (Nov) | William fitz Paul | Henry de Haydock |
| 1331 (Sep) | Johannes fil' Galfridi | Willielmus fil' Johannis |
| 1331–1529 | No returns | No returns |
| 1529 | Cristoferus Heydock | James Walton |
| 1536–1545 | No returns | No returns |
| 1545 | Sir Ralph Sadler | John Bourne |
| 1547 | George Frevil | John Hales |
| 1552/3 (Mar) | Anthony Browne | Thomas Fleetwood |
| 1553 (Oct) | William Gerard | Anthony Browne |
| 1554 (Apr) | Thomas Ruthall | Willielmus Berners |
| 1554 (Nov) | Richard Shyrburne | John Sylyard |
| 1555 | John Arundell | John Herle |
| 1557/8 | Richard Sherbourne | Robert Southwell |
| 1559 (Jan) | Robert Aalford | Francis Goldsmith, sat for Helston, repl, by Richard Cooke |
| 1562/3 | Gilbert Moreton | James Hodgkinson |
| 1571 | Edward Baeshe | Reginald Williams |
| 1572 | James Hodgkinson | George Horsey |
| 1584 (Nov) | William Fleetwood | Thomas Cromwell |
| 1586 | John Brograve | Sir Thomas Hesketh |
| 1588 (Oct) | Sir Thomas Hesketh | Michael Doughty |
| 1593 | James Dalton | Thomas Bulbeck |
| 1597 (Oct) | John Brograve | Sir John Stanhope |
| 1601 (Oct) | John Brograve | William Waad |
| 1604-1611 | Sir Vincent Skinner | William Holte |
| 1614 | Sir Edward Mosley | Henry Banister |
| 1621-1622 | Sir Edward Mosley | Sir William Pooley |
| 1624 | Sir Edward Mosley | Sir William Pooley, sat for Sudbury, repl. by Sir William Hervey |
| 1625 | Sir William Hervey | Henry Banister |
| 1626 | George Garrard | Thomas Fanshawe |
| 1628 | Robert Carre | George Garrard |
| 1629-1640 | No Parliaments summoned | No Parliaments summoned |

### MPs 1640–1950

| Year | | First member | First party | | Second member | Second party |
| April 1640 | | Richard Shuttleworth | Parliamentarian | | Thomas Standish | Parliamentarian |
| November 1640 | | Richard Shuttleworth | Parliamentarian | | Thomas Standish | Parliamentarian |
| November 1642 | | Richard Shuttleworth | Parliamentarian | Standish died November 1642 - seat vacant | Standish died November 1642 - seat vacant | Standish died November 1642 - seat vacant |
| 1645 | | Richard Shuttleworth | Parliamentarian | | William Langton | |
| December 1648 | Shuttleworth excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Shuttleworth excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Shuttleworth excluded in Pride's Purge - seat vacant | Langton not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | Langton not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge | Langton not recorded as sitting after Pride's Purge |
| 1653 | Preston was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Preston was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Preston was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Preston was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Preston was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament | Preston was unrepresented in the Barebones Parliament |
| 1654 | | Colonel Richard Shuttleworth | | Preston had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Preston had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Preston had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| 1656 | | Colonel Richard Shuttleworth | | Preston had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Preston had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate | Preston had only one seat in the First and Second Parliaments of the Protectorate |
| January 1659 | | Colonel Richard Shuttleworth | | | Colonel Richard Standish | |
| May 1659 | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump | Not represented in the restored Rump |
| April 1660 | | Alexander Rigby | | | Richard Standish | |
| August 1660 | | Edward Rigby | | | Edward Fleetwood | |
| 1661 | | Edward Rigby | | | Geoffrey Rishton | |
| 1667 | | Edward Rigby | | | John Otway | |
| February 1679 | | Edward Rigby | | | Sir Robert Carr | |
| April 1679 | | Edward Rigby | | | Sir John Otway | |
| 1681 | | Sir Robert Carr | | | Sir Gervase Elwes | |
| April 1685 | | Sir Thomas Chicheley | | | Edward Fleetwood | |
| June 1685 | | Hon. Andrew Newport | Tory | | Edward Fleetwood | |
| 1689 | | James Stanley | | | Thomas Patten | |
| March 1690 | | Lord Willoughby de Eresby | | | Christopher Greenfield | |
| December 1690 | | Sir Edward Chisenhall | | | Christopher Greenfield | |
| 1695 | | Sir Thomas Stanley | | | Thomas Molyneux | |
| 1698 | | Henry Ashhurst | | | Thomas Molyneux | |
| January 1701 | | Henry Ashhurst | | | Edward Rigby | |
| December 1701 | | Henry Ashhurst | | | Thomas Molyneux | |
| 1702 | | Charles Zedenno Stanley | | | Sir Cyril Wyche | |
| 1705 | | Francis Annesley | | | Edward Rigby | |
| 1706 | | Francis Annesley | | | Arthur Maynwaring | |
| 1708 | | Henry Fleetwood | | | Arthur Maynwaring | |
| 1710 | | Henry Fleetwood | | | Sir Henry Hoghton | |
| 1713 | | Henry Fleetwood | | | Edward Southwell | |
| 1715 | | Henry Fleetwood | | | Sir Henry Hoghton | |
| 1722 | | Daniel Pulteney | | | Thomas Hesketh | |
| 1727 | | Daniel Pulteney | | | Sir Henry Hoghton | |
| 1732 | | Nicholas Fazackerley | | | Sir Henry Hoghton | |
| 1741 | | Nicholas Fazackerley | | | James Shuttleworth | |
| 1754 | | Nicholas Fazackerley | | | Edmund Starkie | |
| 1767 | | Sir Peter Leicester | | | Edmund Starkie | |
| April 1768 | | Sir Peter Leicester | | | Sir Frank Standish | |
| November 1768 | | Brigadier John Burgoyne | Whig | | Sir Henry Hoghton | Tory |
| 1792 | | William Shawe | Non-partisan | | Sir Henry Hoghton | Tory |
| 1795 | | William Shawe | Non-partisan | | Sir Henry Hoghton | Whig |
| 1796 | | Edward Smith-Stanley | Whig | | Sir Henry Hoghton | Whig |
| 1802 | | Edward Smith-Stanley | Whig | | John Horrocks | Tory |
| 1804 | | Edward Smith-Stanley | Whig | | Samuel Horrocks | Tory |
| 1812 | | Edmund Hornby | Whig | | Samuel Horrocks | Tory |
| 1826 | | Hon. Edward Smith-Stanley | Whig | | John Wood | Whig |
| December 1830 | | Henry Hunt | Radical | | John Wood | Whig |
| 1832 | | (Sir) Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | Conservative | | Hon. Henry Smith-Stanley | Whig |
| 1837 | | (Sir) Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | Whig | | Robert Townley Parker | Conservative |
| 1841 | | (Sir) Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | Whig | | Sir George Strickland | Whig |
| 1847 | | Charles Grenfell | Whig | | Sir George Strickland | Whig |
| 1852 | | Robert Townley Parker | Conservative | | Sir George Strickland | Whig |
| 1857 | | Charles Grenfell | Whig | | R. A. Cross | Conservative |
| 1859 | | Charles Grenfell | Liberal | | R. A. Cross | Conservative |
| 1862 by-election | | Charles Grenfell | Liberal | | Sir Thomas Hesketh | Conservative |
| 1865 | | Hon. Frederick Stanley | Conservative | | Sir Thomas Hesketh | Conservative |
| 1868 | | Edward Hermon | Conservative | | Sir Thomas Hesketh | Conservative |
| 1872 by-election | | Edward Hermon | Conservative | | (Sir) John Holker | Conservative |
| 1881 by-election | | William Farrer Ecroyd | Conservative | | (Sir) John Holker | Conservative |
| February 1882 by-election | | William Farrer Ecroyd | Conservative | | Henry Cecil Raikes | Conservative |
| November 1882 by-election | | William Farrer Ecroyd | Conservative | | (Sir) William Tomlinson | Conservative |
| 1885 | | Robert William Hanbury | Conservative | | (Sir) William Tomlinson | Conservative |
| 1903 by-election | | John Kerr | Conservative | | (Sir) William Tomlinson | Conservative |
| 1906 | | John Thomas Macpherson | Labour | | Harold Cox | Liberal |
| January 1910 | | Major the Hon. George Stanley | Conservative | | Alfred Tobin | Conservative |
| 1915 by-election | | Major the Hon. George Stanley | Conservative | | Urban H. Broughton | Conservative |
| 1918 | | Major the Hon. George Stanley | Conservative | | Thomas Shaw | Labour |
| 1922 | | James Hodge | Liberal | | Thomas Shaw | Labour |
| 1924 | | Alfred Ravenscroft Kennedy | Conservative | | Thomas Shaw | Labour |
| 1929 | | Sir William Jowitt | Liberal | | Thomas Shaw | Labour |
| 1929 by-election | | Sir William Jowitt | Labour | | Thomas Shaw | Labour |
| 1931 | | Adrian Moreing | Conservative | | William Kirkpatrick | Conservative |
| 1936 by-election | | Adrian Moreing | Conservative | | Edward Cobb | Conservative |
| 1940 by-election | | Randolph Churchill | Conservative | | Edward Cobb | Conservative |
| 1945 | | John William Sunderland | Labour | | Samuel Segal | Labour |
| 1946 by-election | | Edward Shackleton | Labour | | Samuel Segal | Labour |

### MPs since 1983

| Election | Member | Party | Notes |
| 1983 | Stan Thorne | Labour | Previously MP for Preston South 1974–1983 |
| 1987 | Audrey Wise | Labour | Previously MP for Coventry South West 1974–1979. Died September 2000 |
| 2000 by-election | Sir Mark Hendrick | Labour and Co-operative | Became a Knight Bachelor in 2018 New Year Honours |

## Overview

Representatives have sat in Parliament for Preston for nearly 800 years, the first recorded names being Willielmus fil' Pauli and Adam Russel. Prior to being reformed as "Preston" in 1983, the former Preston North and Preston South seats were amongst the most marginal in the country - in 1979, Conservative Robert Atkins won Preston North by 29 votes.
With the suburban, middle class former Fulwood Urban District area within Ribble Valley (and from 2010 Wyre and Preston North), the southern portion has awarded MPs with much healthier and secure majorities. Almost all of Preston's representatives from 1915 to 1950, and since its recreation as a single constituency in 1983, have been Labour candidates.
Between 1918 and 1949, the two-seat constituency of Preston was formed by the County Borough of Preston and the Urban District of Fulwood. In 1997, Audrey Wise secured a majority of over 18,000. The collapse of the Conservative vote - 10 percentage points down from 1992 - was firmly with the pattern of the Tory fortunes in that year.
The death of Audrey Wise in 2000 triggered a by-election. At that Preston by-election, Mark Hendrick, former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Lancashire Central constituency with Preston at its heart, secured a victory with a 4,400 majority. The surprise of the night was the result of the fledgling Socialist Alliance, for whom Terry Cartright saved his deposit.
Less than a year later, the 2001 general election returned Mark Hendrick with a much healthier 12,200 majority, up against South Ribble councillor Graham O'Hare for the Conservatives and the then local Liberal Democrat leader Bill Chadwick. In real terms, all three main parties lost support from 1997 - Labour down by over 8,000 votes, Conservatives reduced by over 2,200 and Lib Dems 2,300 lower. One notable candidate in 2001 was David Braid, also a candidate in a number of other seats that year, who had been the "Battle for Britain" candidate in the previous year's by-election.
The 2005 general election was notable for the changes in share of the vote of the minor parties. The first ever Respect candidate, local councillor Michael Lavalette, firmly saved his deposit with nearly 7% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats had chosen former Conservative County Councillor William Parkinson, and had their best result since 1997. Fiona Bryce for the Conservatives, remained in second place seeing her share of the vote remain stable despite the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) polling over 1,000 votes. Mark Hendrick secured another term as MP, although his vote total was 3,000 less than 2001 and 12,000 less than Audrey Wise in 1997.
Labour continued to represent Preston at the elections of 2010, 2015, and 2017. Whilst Mark Hendrick secured less than 50% of the votes cast in 2010, the first time this has occurred at a Preston election since 1983, subsequent results had much stronger Labour majorities. Second place went back to the Conservative Party, regaining from the Liberal Democrats who took second place for the first time in 2010.

## Elections
### Elections in the 2020s

General election 2024: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 14,006 | 35.0 | −22.3 |
| | Independent | Michael Lavalette | 8,715 | 21.8 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | James Elliot | 5,738 | 14.3 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Hart | 5,212 | 13.0 | −16.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Darby | 3,195 | 8.0 | +1.2 |
| | Green | Isabella Metcalf-Riener | 1,751 | 4.4 | +2.4 |
| | Independent | Yousuf Bhailok | 891 | 2.2 | N/A |
| | Rejoin EU | Joseph O'Meachair | 216 | 0.5 | N/A |
| | Alliance for Democracy and Freedom | David Brooks | 145 | 0.4 | N/A |
| | UKIP | Derek Kileen | 124 | 0.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5,291 | 13.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,132 | 51.9 | −7.6 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 2010s

General election 2019: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 20,870 | 61.8 | −6.2 |
| | Conservative | Michele Scott | 8,724 | 25.8 | +2.0 |
| | Brexit Party | Rob Sherratt | 1,799 | 5.3 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Darby | 1,737 | 5.1 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Michael Welton | 660 | 2.0 | +1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,146 | 36.0 | −8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,790 | 56.6 | −5.0 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −4.1 | |
General election 2017: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 24,210 | 68.0 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Kevin Beaty | 8,487 | 23.8 | +3.8 |
| | UKIP | Simon Platt | 1,348 | 3.8 | −11.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Neil Darby | 1,204 | 3.4 | −0.3 |
| | Green | Anne Power | 348 | 1.0 | −3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15,723 | 44.2 | +8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 35,597 | 61.6 | +5.8 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +4.0 | |
General election 2015: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 18,755 | 56.0 | +7.8 |
| | Conservative | Richard Holden | 6,688 | 20.0 | −1.7 |
| | UKIP | James Barker | 5,139 | 15.4 | +10.9 |
| | Green | Gemma Christie | 1,643 | 4.9 | New |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jo Barton | 1,244 | 3.7 | −20.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,067 | 36.0 | +12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 33,469 | 55.8 | +3.8 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | +4.8 | |
General election 2010: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 15,668 | 48.2 | −2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Jewell | 7,935 | 24.4 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | Nerissa Warner-O'Neill | 7,060 | 21.7 | −1.2 |
| | UKIP | Richard Muirhead | 1,462 | 4.5 | +1.4 |
| | Christian | George Ambroze | 272 | 0.8 | New |
| | Independent | Krishna Tayya | 108 | 0.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7,733 | 23.8 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,505 | 52.0 | −1.8 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −5.0 | |

### Elections in the 2000s

General election 2005: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 17,210 | 50.5 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Fiona Bryce | 7,803 | 22.9 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Parkinson | 5,701 | 16.7 | +3.5 |
| | Respect | Michael Lavalette | 2,318 | 6.8 | New |
| | UKIP | Ellen Boardman | 1,049 | 3.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 9,407 | 27.6 | −5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,081 | 53.8 | +4.6 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −3.2 | |
General election 2001: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 20,540 | 57.0 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | Graham O'Hare | 8,272 | 23.0 | +1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Chadwick | 4,746 | 13.2 | −1.5 |
| | Independent | Bilal Patel | 1,241 | 3.4 | New |
| | Green | Richard Merrick | 1,019 | 2.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Franklin-Braid | 223 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,268 | 34.0 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 36,041 | 49.2 | −16.6 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −2.5 | |
Preston by-election, 2000 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Hendrick | 9,765 | 45.7 | −15.1 |
| | Conservative | Graham O'Hare | 5,339 | 25.0 | +3.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bill Chadwick | 3,454 | 16.2 | +1.5 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Terry Cartwright | 1,210 | 5.7 | New |
| | UKIP | Gregg Beaman | 458 | 2.1 | New |
| | Green | Richard Merrick | 441 | 2.1 | New |
| | CPA | Peter Garrett | 416 | 2.0 | New |
| | BNP | Chris Jackson | 229 | 1.1 | New |
| | Independent | David Franklin-Braid | 51 | 0.2 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,426 | 20.7 | −18.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,363 | 29.4 | −36.4 |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Swing | −9.1 | |

### Elections in the 1990s

General election 1997: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Audrey Wise | 29,220 | 60.8 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Paul S. Gray | 10,540 | 21.9 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Chadwick | 7,045 | 14.7 | −2.5 |
| | Referendum | John C. Porter | 924 | 1.9 | New |
| | Natural Law | John Ashforth | 345 | 0.7 | 0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18,680 | 38.9 | +12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 48,074 | 65.8 | −5.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +6.2 | |
General election 1992: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Audrey Wise | 24,983 | 54.3 | +1.8 |
| | Conservative | Simon G. O'Toole | 12,808 | 27.8 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Chadwick | 7,897 | 17.2 | −1.8 |
| | Natural Law | Janet Aycliffe | 341 | 0.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 12,175 | 26.5 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,029 | 71.7 | +0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.3 | |

### Elections of the 1980s

General election 1987: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Audrey Wise | 23,341 | 52.5 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | Raj Chandran | 12,696 | 28.5 | −3.3 |
| | Liberal | John Wright | 8,452 | 19.0 | −2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 10,645 | 24.0 | +9.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,489 | 71.0 | −0.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.6 | |
General election 1983: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stan Thorne | 21,810 | 46.7 | |
| | Conservative | Tom N. Huntley | 14,832 | 31.8 | |
| | SDP | Michael Connolly | 10,039 | 21.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,978 | 14.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 46,681 | 71.8 | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Elections in the 1940s

1946 Preston by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward Shackleton | 32,189 | 55.6 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Harmar Nicholls | 25,718 | 44.4 | +2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,471 | 11.2 | +8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 57,907 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1945: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Samuel Segal | 33,053 | 24.2 | |
| | Labour | John William Sunderland | 32,889 | 24.1 | |
| | Conservative | Randolph Churchill | 29,129 | 21.4 | |
| | Conservative | Julian Amery | 27,885 | 20.4 | |
| | Liberal | J Maurice Toulmin | 8,251 | 6.1 | New |
| | Communist | P.J. Devine | 5,168 | 3.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,760 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 136,375 | 77.0 | −2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Preston by-election September 1940 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Randolph Churchill | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
For the general election expected to take place in 1939/1940, the following candidates had been selected;
* Conservative: Adrian Moreing, Edward Cobb
* Labour: P.C. Hoffman, John William Sunderland

### Elections in the 1930s

1936 Preston by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Cobb | 32,575 | 48.8 | −4.8 |
| | Labour | Frank Bowles | 30,970 | 46.4 | 0.0 |
| | Independent | F. White | 3,221 | 4.8 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,605 | 2.4 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 63,746 | 79.0 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1935: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Adrian Moreing | 37,219 | 26.9 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | William Kirkpatrick | 36,797 | 26.7 | −5.8 |
| | Labour | Robert Arthur Lyster | 32,225 | 23.3 | +5.3 |
| | Labour | Richard Reiss | 31,827 | 23.1 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 4,572 | 3.4 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 138,068 | 81.9 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
General election 1931: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Kirkpatrick | 46,276 | 32.5 | |
| | Conservative | Adrian Moreing | 45,843 | 32.2 | |
| | Labour | Tom Shaw | 25,710 | 18.0 | |
| | Labour | Edward Porter | 24,660 | 17.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20,133 | 14.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 142,489 | 84.6 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Elections in the 1920s

1929 Preston by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | William Jowitt | 35,608 | 54.6 | +25.1 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Howitt | 29,168 | 44.8 | −0.7 |
| | Independent Labour | S. M. Holden | 410 | 0.6 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6,440 | 9.8 | +2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 65,186 | 79.6 | +1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
General election 1929: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Shaw | 37,705 | 29.5 | +3.2 |
| | Liberal | William Jowitt | 31,277 | 24.4 | −0.2 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Howitt | 29,116 | 22.8 | −2.4 |
| | Unionist | Charles Emmott | 27,754 | 21.7 | −2.2 |
| | Independent Labour | S. M. Holden | 2,111 | 1.6 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8,589 | 1.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 127,963 | 78.2 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | | |
General election 1924: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Shaw | 27,009 | 26.3 | −8.1 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Ravenscroft Kennedy | 25,887 | 25.2 | |
| | Liberal | James Hodge | 25,327 | 24.6 | −9.0 |
| | Unionist | G Barnes | 24,557 | 23.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 560 | 0.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 102,780 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Unionist gain from Liberal | Unionist gain from Liberal | Swing | | |
General election 1923: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Shaw | 25,816 | 34.4 | +6.5 |
| | Liberal | James Hodge | 25,155 | 33.6 | +7.2 |
| | Unionist | William Kirkpatrick | 23,953 | 32.0 | −13.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,854 | 2.4 | −1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,193 | 1.6 | −0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,924 | 87.2 | +6.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | | |
General election 1922: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Shaw | 26,259 | 27.9 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal | James Hodge | 24,798 | 26.4 | +1.6 |
| | Unionist | George Stanley | 22,574 | 24.0 | −1.4 |
| | Unionist | Alfred Robert MacLean Camm | 20,410 | 21.7 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,685 | 3.9 | +2.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,224 | 2.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Unionist | Liberal gain from Unionist | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 94,041 | 81.1 | +16.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,953 | | |

### Elections in the 1910s

* For all General Elections from 1906 to 1929 the Liberal and Labour parties ran only one candidate each, and these candidates ran in harness.
General election 1918: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | YTom Shaw | 19,213 | 25.8 | +2.8 |
| C | Unionist | YGeorge Stanley | 18,970 | 25.4 | −1.4 |
| | Liberal | John O'Neill | 18,485 | 24.8 | +0.9 |
| C | Unionist | Warwick Brookes | 17,928 | 24.0 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,285 | 1.8 | N/A |
| | Labour gain from Unionist | Labour gain from Unionist | Swing | +2.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 485 | 0.6 | −1.8 |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Swing | N/A | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 74,596 | 64.5 | −24.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 57,795 | | |
| C indicates candidate endorsed by the coalition government. ||||||
By-election, 1915: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Unionist | Urban H. Broughton | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold | Unionist hold |
General Election 1914/15:
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 the July 1914, the following candidates had been selected;
* Unionist: George Stanley and Alfred Tobin
* Labour: Tom Shaw
* Liberal: Frederick Llewellyn-Jones
General election December 1910: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Stanley | 9,184 | 26.8 | −0.3 |
| | Conservative | Alfred Tobin | 8,993 | 26.3 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal | Hilton Young | 8,193 | 23.9 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | William Henry Carr | 7,855 | 23.0 | +1.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 800 | 2.4 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 34,225 | 88.9 | −5.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,521 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −3.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.7 | |
General election January 1910: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | George Stanley | 9,526 | 27.1 | +4.9 |
| | Conservative | Alfred Tobin | 9,160 | 26.0 | +5.1 |
| | Labour | John Thomas Macpherson | 7,539 | 21.4 | −9.5 |
| | Liberal | John Eldon Gorst | 6,281 | 17.8 | −8.2 |
| | Free Trader | Harold Cox* | 2,704 | 7.7 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,621 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,506 | 94.4 | −1.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 19,521 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +7.2 | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Swing | +6.7 | |
* Cox was replaced as Liberal candidate by Gorst - due to his frequent criticism of Liberal social policy - but chose to run independently.

### Elections in the 1900s

General election 1906: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. | John Thomas Macpherson | 10,181 | 30.9 | +8.8 |
| | Liberal | Harold Cox | 8,538 | 26.0 | New |
| | Conservative | John Kerr | 7,303 | 22.2 | −18.8 |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 6,856 | 20.9 | −16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 32,878 | 96.2 | +19.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,626 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,878 | 8.7 | N/A |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. gain from Conservative | Labour Repr. Cmte. gain from Conservative | Swing | +13.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,682 | 5.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | N/A | |
1903 Preston by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Kerr | 8,639 | 57.1 | −20.8 |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. | John Hodge | 6,490 | 42.9 | +20.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,149 | 14.2 | −0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,129 | 84.2 | +7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,973 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −20.8 | |
By-election, 1900: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
General election 1900: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | 8,944 | 41.0 | −0.9 |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 8,067 | 36.9 | +1.2 |
| | Labour Repr. Cmte. | Keir Hardie | 4,834 | 22.1 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,233 | 14.8 | +1.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 21,845 | 76.4 | +0.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,867 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |

### Elections in the 1890s

General election 1895: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | 8,928 | 41.9 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 7,622 | 35.7 | +0.4 |
| | Ind. Labour Party | James Tattersall | 4,781 | 22.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,841 | 13.3 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,508 | 76.3 | −11.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 16,395 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1892: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | 8,070 | 36.6 | +6.9 |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 7,764 | 35.3 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal | Charles Weld-Blundell | 6,182 | 28.1 | −11.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,582 | 7.2 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,003 | 87.7 | +3.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,959 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +6.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +5.3 | |

### Elections in the 1880s

General election 1886: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 7,497 | 30.6 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | 7,296 | 29.7 | −6.7 |
| | Liberal | John Ormerod Pilkington | 4,982 | 20.3 | −4.8 |
| | Lib-Lab | George Potter | 4,771 | 19.4 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,314 | 9.4 | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,473 (est) | 83.9 | −7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,876 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −2.8 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −1.7 | |
General election 1885: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 8,459 | 38.5 | +5.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | 7,971 | 36.4 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal | Thomas Russell | 5,491 | 25.1 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,480 | 11.3 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,550 (est) | 91.1 | −4.7 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,876 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +4.4 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +1.6 | |
By-election, 25 Nov 1882: Preston (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Tomlinson | 6,351 | 60.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Robert William Hanbury | 4,167 | 39.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,184 | 20.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,518 | 81.0 | −14.8 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,978 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
* Caused by Raikes' resignation to seek election in the 1882 Cambridge University by-election.
By-election, 4 Feb 1882: Preston (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Henry Cecil Raikes | 6,045 | 58.9 | −10.0 |
| | Lib-Lab | William Simpson | 4,212 | 41.1 | +10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,833 | 17.8 | +16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,257 | 79.0 | −16.8 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,978 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −10.0 | |
* Caused by Holker's resignation upon appointment as a Lord Justice of Appeal.
1881 Preston by-election (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William Farrer Ecroyd | 6,004 | 58.0 | −10.9 |
| | Liberal | Henry Yates Thompson | 4,340 | 42.0 | +10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,664 | 16.0 | +14.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,344 | 88.0 | −7.8 (est) |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,748 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -10.9 | |
* Caused by Hermon's death.
General election 1880: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Hermon | 6,239 | 36.2 | −5.9 |
| | Conservative | John Holker | 5,641 | 32.7 | −1.0 |
| | Liberal | George William Bahr | 5,355 | 31.1 | +6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 1.6 | −7.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,594 (est) | 95.8 (est) | +16.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,108 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.7 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -2.2 | |

### Elections in the 1870s

By-election, 24 Apr 1874: Preston (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Holker | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
* Caused by Holker's appointment as Solicitor General for England and Wales.
General election 1874: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Hermon | 6,512 | 42.1 | +14.3 |
| | Conservative | John Holker | 5,211 | 33.7 | +6.4 |
| | Lib-Lab | Thomas Mottershead | 3,756 | 24.3 | −20.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,455 | 9.4 | +4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 9,618 (est) | 79.7 (est) | −17.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,073 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +12.3 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +8.4 | |
By-election, 16 Sep 1872: Preston (1 seat) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Holker | 4,542 | 54.3 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal | James German | 3,824 | 45.7 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 718 | 8.6 | +4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,366 | 81.9 | −15.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,214 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −0.8 | |
* Caused by Hesketh's death.

### Elections in the 1860s

General election 1868: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward Hermon | 5,803 | 27.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Thomas Fermor-Hesketh | 5,700 | 27.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal | Joseph Leese | 4,741 | 22.7 | New |
| | Liberal | Edward Fitzalan-Howard | 4,663 | 22.3 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 959 | 4.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,454 (est) | 97.1 (est) | N/A |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,763 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | N/A | |
General election 1865: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hesketh | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| | Conservative | Frederick Stanley | Unopposed | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,562 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal | Conservative gain from Liberal |
By-election, 4 April 1862: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Thomas Hesketh | 1,527 | 60.1 | −9.1 |
| | Liberal | George Melly | 1,014 | 39.9 | +9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 513 | 20.2 | +11.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,541 | 91.6 | +17.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,773 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −9.1 | |
* Caused by Cross' resignation.

### Elections in the 1850s

General election 1859: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | R. A. Cross | 1,542 | 39.4 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal | Charles Grenfell | 1,208 | 30.8 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | John Talbot Clifton | 1,168 | 29.8 | +2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,959 (est) | 73.7 (est) | +1.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,657 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 8.6 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 40 | 1.0 | −0.7 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | −6.5 | |
General election 1857: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Charles Grenfell | 1,503 | 37.3 | +11.7 |
| | Conservative | R. A. Cross | 1,433 | 35.6 | +5.3 |
| | Whig | George Strickland | 1,094 | 27.1 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,015 (est) | 72.1 (est) | −5.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,793 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 1.7 | −11.0 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +4.5 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 339 | 8.5 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +0.1 | |
General election 1852: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Townley Parker | 1,335 | 30.3 | −2.6 |
| | Whig | George Strickland | 1,253 | 28.4 | −5.5 |
| | Whig | Charles Grenfell | 1,127 | 25.6 | −7.7 |
| | Radical | James German | 692 | 15.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,204 (est) | 77.2 (est) | −13.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,854 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 208 | 4.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative gain from Whig | Conservative gain from Whig | Swing | +5.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 561 | 12.7 | +12.3 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −2.1 | |

### Elections in the 1840s

General election 1847: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | George Strickland | 1,404 | 33.9 | +5.9 |
| | Whig | Charles Grenfell | 1,378 | 33.3 | +4.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert Townley Parker | 1,361 | 32.9 | −10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | 0.4 | −5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,752 (est) | 90.4 (est) | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,044 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +5.6 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
General election 1841: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | 1,655 | 28.5 | −16.1 |
| | Whig | George Strickland | 1,629 | 28.0 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Robert Townley Parker | 1,270 | 21.9 | +7.0 |
| | Conservative | Charles Swainson | 1,255 | 21.6 | +6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 6.1 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,905 (est) | 86.2 (est) | c. −3.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,371 | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −11.5 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | −2.2 | |

### Elections in the 1830s

General election 1837: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Whig | Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | 2,726 | 44.6 | +28.4 |
| | Conservative | Robert Townley Parker | 1,821 | 29.8 | −3.9 |
| | Whig | John Crawfurd | 1,562 | 25.5 | +9.3 |
| | Radical | Feargus O'Connor | 5 | 0.1 | −33.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,264 | 89.3 | −0.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,656 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 905 | 14.8 | +3.8 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +15.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 259 | 4.3 | +3.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | −11.4 | |
General election 1835: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | 2,165 | 33.7 | +2.3 |
| | Whig | Henry Smith-Stanley | 2,092 | 32.5 | +2.0 |
| | Radical | Thomas Perronet Thompson | 1,385 | 21.5 | +2.5 |
| | Radical | Thomas Smith | 789 | 12.3 | −6.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,350 | 89.7 | +2.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,734 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 73 | 1.2 | −11.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.3 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 707 | 11.0 | −0.4 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | +2.1 | |
General election 1832: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Peter Hesketh-Fleetwood | 3,372 | 31.4 |
| | Whig | Henry Smith-Stanley | 3,273 | 30.5 |
| | Radical | Henry Hunt | 2,054 | 19.1 |
| | Radical | John Forbes | 1,926 | 17.9 |
| | Radical | Charles John Crompton | 118 | 1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,538 | 87.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,352 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,318 | 12.3 |
| | Tory gain from Radical | Tory gain from Radical | Tory gain from Radical | Tory gain from Radical |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,219 | 11.4 |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
General election 1831: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Whig | John Wood | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Radical | Henry Hunt | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold | Whig hold |
| Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig |
By-election, 17 December 1830: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Radical | Henry Hunt | 3,730 | 52.4 | +32.9 |
| | Whig | Edward Smith-Stanley | 3,392 | 47.6 | −32.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 338 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,122 | | |
| | Radical gain from Whig | Radical gain from Whig | Swing | +32.9 | |
* Caused by Smith-Stanley's appointment as Chief Secretary for Ireland
General election 1830: Preston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Whig | Edward Smith-Stanley | 2,996 | 44.8 |
| | Whig | John Wood | 2,389 | 35.7 |
| | Radical | Henry Hunt | 1,308 | 19.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,081 | 16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | c. 3,347 | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | |

### Elections in the 1810s

General election 1818: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Tory | Samuel Horrocks | 1,694 | 37.3 | −2.4 |
| | Whig | Edmund Hornby | 1,598 | 35.2 | −4.2 |
| | Reformer | Peter Crompton | 1,245 | 27.4 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 449 | 9.9 | −8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,537 | | |
| | Tory hold | Tory hold | Swing | | |
| | Whig hold | Whig hold | Swing | | |
General election 1812: Preston (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Tory | Samuel Horrocks | 1,379 | 39.7 |
| | Whig | Edmund Hornby | 1,368 | 39.4 |
| | Independent | Edward Hanson | 727 | 20.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 652 | 18.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,474 | |