In 1884 an act of Parliament known as "The Representation of the People act'' was passed, which made a large extension of the franchise, and established a uniform householder and a uniform lodger franchise throughout the kingdom.  

In the following year a Redistribution Act was passed which brought about many important changes in the Parliamentary Representation of the People.

By these two acts Normanton was made a Parliamentary Division and the first election was held in 1886. Mr. Ben Pickard (Liberal), an official of the Yorkshire Miners' Association, and Colonel Charlesworth (Conservative) a Colliery owner, were the two candidates.  

Mr. Pickard was elected by an overwhelming majority and he held the seat until his death, when he was succeeded by Mr. Parrott, also an official of the Yorkshire Miners. On the death of Mr. Parrott, Mr. Fred Hall, also an official of the Yorkshire Miners, secured the seat, and he has held it, without intermission, for the last 21 years.  

At the last contested election Mr. Hall, was opposed by Mr. Barcroft, a coalition Labour candidate, when Mr. Hall was returned by a majority of over 11,000 votes.   In the year 1895, the Normanton Local Board of Health, which for twenty-two years had managed the affairs of the town and done much good work, was superseded by the Normanton Urban District Council. The last meeting of the old Board was held December 10th, 1894. The members present at this meeting were Messrs. Swallow, Leake, Woodman, Butler, Wright and Taylor, with Mr. J. Horsfall in the chair.  

The first election of members to the Urban District Council was held on Saturday, December 15th. 1894, when the following persons were elected:-

for the Normanton Ward;
Daniel Thomas Woodman, John Thomas Sanderson, John Cumberbirch, and Matthew Nicholson;   for the Normanton Common ward;
William Edward Swallow, Hugh Byrne, William Shaw and Thomas Sterland;   for the Woodhouse Ward;
George Wilson, John Horsfall, Charles James Foster and James Cochram.   Mr. D.T. Woodman was the first Chairman and Mr. W.E. Swallow the first Vice-chairman.

The new council began its work in Jan. 1895, and one of its first actions was to follow up the application which the old Board had made for the extension of the boundaries of the town. An enquiry was held by a committee of the West Riding County Council on Feb.4th. and adjourned to the 18th. on April 11th. a letter was read at the Council meeting, dated the 10th.inst. from Mr. Dixon.   Deputy Clerk of the Peace, stating that the W.R.C.C. (West Riding County Council) at their meeting that day had, acting on the report of the committee of enquiry, decided to make no order in this matter. The enquiry, it would appear, was a somewhat expensive business, for at a meeting held Feb. 14th, 1895, it was resolved

''that a cheque be drawn for a sum of £200 and paid to the Clerk on account of legal expenses in connection with the said extension enquiry.''