[1] The constituency returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system.

Thirty-five-year-old Frederick Guest had been Liberal MP for the seat of East Dorset since the January 1910 general election.

They narrowly held the seat at the last election, with a slightly increased majority; The local Liberal Association selected 36-year-old Henry Guest, the older brother of Frederick Guest, to defend the seat.

In a remarkably high turnout, almost as high as the last General Election, the Liberals held the seat and managed a slightly increased majority; Henry Guest did not defend the seat at the December 1910 general election and was instead elected for Pembroke and Haverfordwest.

This allowed Frederick Guest to return first as Liberal candidate and then as the MP again;