I've been reading a lot of Anthony Trollope lately. His characters often refer to "the ballot" as a new thing. What changed in the 19th century about how members of parliament were selected? (This is my first ever Reddit post, it's not for homework help, I'm just a 59 yr old reader.)
In the 1800s suffrage was expanded about every 2 or 3 decades.
At the start of the 19th century, probably 5% of the British population could vote. This right was reserved to wealthy landowners. The Reform Act of 1832 changed this. Voting rights were now spread to bankers, merchants, etc.
The Reform Act of 1867 was the next time voting rights were expanded. If you were a male, owned a home, or rented a home of at least a certain value you were permitted to vote.
The Reform Act of 1884 extended suffrage to those owning or renting land in the countryside, outside of town limits. Around the time this was passed, around 60% of men could vote in Britain.