The Secret Ballot, also known as the Australian ballot, was introduced to Victorian England in the mid-19th century as a way to combat corruption and intimidation in elections. Prior to the introduction of the secret ballot, voting was done publicly, meaning that individuals could be coerced or intimidated into voting a certain way.

The secret ballot was sometimes referred to as the "Australian ballot" because it was first introduced in Australia in the 1850s. The state of Victoria in Australia was the first to use the secret ballot in a general election in 1856, and other Australian states soon followed suit.

The Australian ballot quickly gained a reputation for being effective at combating corruption and intimidation in elections, and it was soon adopted by other countries around the world, including England. The term "Australian ballot" therefore became synonymous with the idea of a secret ballot, even though the practice had been used in other countries before Australia.

The first parliamentary election to use the secret ballot in England was held in 1872, although some local elections had used it earlier. Under the secret ballot, voters were given a private space in which to mark their ballot papers, and these papers were then placed into a sealed box to be counted later. This ensured that no one could see how an individual had voted, making it more difficult for candidates or their supporters to bribe or coerce voters.

The introduction of the secret ballot was seen as a major step forward for democracy in England, as it allowed individuals to vote according to their conscience without fear of retribution. However, it was not without its detractors. Some argued that the secrecy of the ballot would lead to fraud and vote rigging, while others believed that it would make it more difficult to hold elected officials accountable to their constituents.

Despite these criticisms, the secret ballot quickly became the norm in English elections, and it remains an important part of the democratic process in many countries around the world today.