Genealogical books point out the usefulness of voter's lists and other stories
Elections are very much on the minds of people where I live right now. Currently we are having back to back elections for different levels of government so it is hard to ignore. The facilitator of the in-person genealogy meeting that I attended this week grabbed onto the election theme. Her presentation/lesson was on the information to be obtained by seeking out electoral rolls. It's a good way of pinning down ancestor's whereabouts in specific time periods. The trick is to be aware of who was eligible to vote as those rules changed as the franchise expanded to encompass different facets of society.
Her presentation focused on Britain and Canada with a nod to the current elections about to take place in the US. The talk made me wonder if my Australian convicts would have been interested in voting and, indeed, if they would have been eligible. Apparently, according to an article I read, many politically active people, like Chartists, were transported due to their agitation which, in turn because of their presence, made the convicts aware of their political rights. Maybe I'll find something if I search for Francis Cavanagh on the electoral rolls for New South Wales.
Sources:
Democracy in Australia shaped by convicts: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-29/political-convicts-chartists-made-australian-democracy/11520622
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