The by-election was caused by the appointment of the ConservativeMember of Parliament (MP), Edward Marshall Hall as the Recorder of Guildford.[1] The Recorder's role as a part-time judge disqualified him from sitting in Parliament, and his acceptance of the post automatically caused a vacancy, and Hall accepted the appointment after checking with the Liverpool Conservatives that a by-election would not be problematic for them.[2]
The 36-year-old Rankin,[4] who was then serving in Liverpool with the Royal Field Artillery, was formally adopted on 14 February as the Conservative candidate for the by-election.[5] During World War I, the major political parties had agreed not to contest by-elections when seats held by their respective parties fell vacant, and the Toxteth Liberals accepted Rankin's nomination.[5] They did not nominate a candidate of their own.[5]
Since Rankin was the only candidate, he was returned unopposed.[6][7]
^Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1989]. British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 139. ISBN0-900178-27-2.
^Craig, F. W. S. (1983) [1969]. British parliamentary election results 1918–1949 (3rd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 173. ISBN0-900178-06-X.