Ommen (electoral district)

The electoral district of Ommen was created in 1888 out of parts of the districts of Zwolle, Almelo and Deventer, which were reduced from two seats to one each. Ommen's boundaries remained the same throughout the electoral district's existence. Situated in the centre of the province of Overijssel, it included the municipalities of Gramsbergen, Den Ham, Hardenberg, Hellendoorn, Holten, Ommen, Raalte and Vriezenveen. The district was predominantly agricultural.^[1][2]

During its existence, the district's population increased from 41,819 in 1888 to 50,116 in 1909. A majority of around 60% the population was Dutch Reformed, while Catholics constituted around 19% of the population. The proportion of the population identifying as Gereformeerd grew from 17% in 1888 to 20% in 1909, and the share of "Others" peaked at 3% in 1909.^[3]

The district of Ommen was abolished upon the introduction of party-list proportional representation in 1918.

Ommen was a safe seat for the parliamentary right. Its inaugural election was won by the Anti-Revolutionary candidate Alexander van Dedem, but he declined to take the seat, opting instead to represent the district of Zwolle. Jan van Alphen was elected to replace it would represent the district until 1908, becoming its longest-serving member. Former chairman of the Council of Ministers Abraham Kuyper represented the district between 1908 and 1912. Both Van Alphen and Kuyper served as chair of the Anti-Revolutionary parliamentary group. The last member for Ommen was the independent Christian historical Cornelis Bichon van IJsselmonde.