Before the Reform Act 1832 the island usually had three Parliamentary boroughs: Newport, Newtown, and Yarmouth each electing two MPs. In 1654 a whole island constituency existed for the First Protectorate Parliament but the island reverted to the three constituencies. Otherwise, the island was part-represented by the two MPs for Hampshire. The Reform Act abolished Newtown and Yarmouth parliamentary boroughs, and resurrected a county constituency for the whole island. The county electorate included freeholders, qualified by property, in the remaining parliamentary borough. The separate and overlapping Newport representation was abolished in 1885.