The Stewart family, led by the Earl of Galloway, normally controlled the burghs of Wigtown and Whithorn.
Thus when Wigtown or Whithorn were the returning burgh, with a casting vote in the event of a tie, the candidate backed by the Stewarts won.
In the 1754 election the Duke of Argyll attempted to support James Abercrombie for the Wigtown Burghs seat.
As Stewart was away at sea in the West Indies, the Earl decided to support Archibald Montgomerie until his son returned.
The Earl entered into an agreement with an English MP, George Augustus Selwyn, who controlled both seats in the borough of Ludgershall.
In exchange for supporting Lord Garlies in Ludgershall, Selwyn was elected in the Wigtown Burghs.
In 1774, with New Galloway as the returning burgh, an alliance of the Dalrymple and Gordon families hoped to triumph.
National politics again influenced the situation, as Sir Lawrence Dundas suggested William Norton as a candidate.
The Earl of Stair was trying to get his son a seat in England so he accepted the proposal of the governments electoral manager in Scotland.
The Stewart interest supported the 7th Earl of Galloway's brother in law, Henry Watkin Dashwood.
Nevertheless, by the time the petition was heard, Young had been appointed Senator of the College of Justice, and a by-election was necessitated.