Between 1832 and 1885 the historic county of Dorset, in south-west England, was an undivided three-seat county constituency - see the article on the Dorset constituency. In 1885 the county was divided for Parliamentary purposes between this constituency, Dorset North, Dorset South and Dorset West (no borough constituencies were created in Dorset in the 1885 redistribution). Each of these divisions comprised roughly a quarter of the area of the county of Dorset and returned one Member of Parliament.
In the 1918 redistribution, the four Dorset constituencies were retained, but their boundaries were redrawn. Dorset East constituency was reduced in area to about half its former size, with the northern part of the pre-1918 seat being transferred to Dorset North and the southern part to Dorset South.
In the 1950 redistribution, this constituency disappeared. A new borough constituency of Poole was created. Wimborne Minster Urban District and the part of Wimborne and Cranborne Rural District previously in the abolished seat were transferred to Dorset North.
Boundaries
1885-1918: The Municipal Borough of the Town and County of Poole, the Sessional Division of Wimborne, and part of the Sessional Division of Wareham.
1918-1950: The Municipal Borough of Poole, the Urban District of Wimborne Minster, the Rural District of Poole, and in the Rural District of Wimborne and Cranborne the civil parishes of Aimer, Chalbury, Colehill, Corfe Mullen, Hampreston, Hinton Martell, Hinton Parva, Holt, More Critchel, Pamphill, Shapwick, Sturminster Marshall, West Parley, and Witchampton.
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 from 1914 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;
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 from 1939 and by the end of this year, the following candidates had been selected;