Rotten-borough
noun
1.
(before the Reform Bill of 1832) any English borough that had very few voters yet was represented in Parliament.
2.
an election district that has more representatives in a legislative body than the number of its constituents would normally call for.
rotten borough
noun
1.
(before the Reform Act of 1832) any of certain English parliamentary constituencies with only a very few electors Compare pocket borough
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