This book contains a critical analysis of the law and politics governing the conduct of statutory elections in the United Kingdom. The author submits that elections have now become a marketplace for 'buying' the most seemingly attractive political party on offer into power, rather than an expression of democratic self government. The author considers thematically a number of issues dating from before the Civil War through the nineteenth century reforms to the foundation of the Electoral Commission and up to their paper 'Delivering democracy?' of August 2004. It contains, amongst other legal analysis, analyses of the leading cases of Sanders v Chichester; R v Jones, R v Whicher; ex parte Mainwaring; and In re Fermanagh and South Tyrone. The author presents an argument for a radical reappraisal of election law which involves, rather than excludes the self-governing citizenry, arguing that election law, perhaps above all other kinds of law, should be the subject of vigorous and open public debate.