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{{Short description|The right of every person to an equal say in politics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Elections}} {{Elections}}
{{Universalism}}
'''Universal ]''' (also '''universal adult suffrage''', '''general suffrage''' or '''common suffrage''') consists of the extension of the ] to ] citizens (or subjects), though it may also mean extending that right to minors (]) and non-citizens. Although suffrage has two necessary components, the right to vote and opportunities to vote, the term '''universal suffrage''' is associated only with the right to vote and ignores the frequency that an incumbent government consults the electorate. Where universal suffrage exists, the right to vote is not restricted by ], ], belief, wealth, or social status.
'''Universal suffrage''' or '''universal ]''' ensures the ] for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the "]" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion of ] and ] (among others).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Universal suffrage definition and meaning {{!}} Collins English Dictionary |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/universal-suffrage |access-date=1 February 2019 |website=www.collinsdictionary.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE |url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/universal+suffrage |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=www.merriam-webster.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Brit">{{Cite encyclopedia |entry=Suffrage |encyclopedia=Britannica |entry-url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/suffrage |access-date=2023-01-18 |language=en}}</ref> At the same time, some insist that more inclusion is needed before suffrage can be truly universal.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rosenfeld |first=Sophia |date=2023-01-03 |title=Has the United States Ever Been a Democracy? |language=en-US |url=https://www.thenation.com/article/society/jedediah-purdy-two-cheers-for-politics/ |access-date=2023-01-21 |issn=0027-8378}}</ref> Democratic theorists, especially those hoping to achieve more universal suffrage, support ], where the legal system would protect the voting rights of all subjects unless the government can clearly prove that ] is necessary.<ref name=":022">{{Cite SSRN |last=Hamilton |first=Vivian E. |date=2012 |title=Democratic Inclusion, Cognitive Development, and the Age of Electoral Majority |language=en |ssrn=2086875 }}</ref> Universal full suffrage includes both the right to vote, also called active suffrage, and the right to be elected, also called ].<ref></ref>


==History==
Historically ''universal suffrage'' initially referred to adult ''male'' suffrage. The ] was the first nation that adopted universal male suffrage in 1792; it was the first national system that abolished all property requirements as a prerequisite for allowing men to register and vote. Greece recognized full male suffrage in 1829 (although it excluded the unemployed until 1877), Mexico did so in 1847, and France and Switzerland have continuously done so since the ] (for resident male citizens). Upon independence in the 19th century, several Latin American countries and Liberia in Africa initially extented suffrage to all adult males, but subsequently restricted it based on property requirements. The ] implemented full male suffrage in 1871. The ] theoretically adopted full male suffrage with the ] in 1870, but this was not practically implemented in the South until the ].
].]]
] is the only international organ elected with universal suffrage (since 1979).]]
In the first modern democracies, governments restricted the vote to those with property and wealth, which almost always meant a minority of the male population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Athenian Democracy |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Athenian_Democracy/ |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=]}}</ref> In some jurisdictions, other restrictions existed, such as requiring voters to practice a given religion.<ref>{{Cite web |title=America's True History of Religious Tolerance |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/americas-true-history-of-religious-tolerance-61312684/ |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref> In all modern democracies, the number of people who could vote has increased progressively with time.<ref name="Caramani">{{Cite book |last=Caramani |first=Daniele |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6UUfDgAAQBAJ&q=universal+male+suffrage&pg=PA53 |title=Elections in Western Europe 1815–1996 |date=13 February 2017 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-1-349-65508-3 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Constitutional Rights Foundation |url=https://www.crf-usa.org/bill-of-rights-in-action/bria-8-1-b-who-voted-in-early-america |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=www.crf-usa.org}}</ref> The 19th century saw many movements advocating "universal suffrage", most notably in Europe and North America.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 May 2017 |title=White Manhood Suffrage |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/democracy-exhibition/vote-voice/getting-vote/demanding-vote/white-manhood-suffrage |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=National Museum of American History |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Caramani" /> Female suffrage was largely ignored until the latter half of the century, when movements began to thrive; the first of these was in New Zealand, in which all adult women of all ethnicities gained the right to vote in 1893.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=McLintock |first1=Alexander Hare |last2=Patricia Ann Grimshaw |first2=M. A. |last3=Taonga |first3=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu |title=WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/womens-suffrage-movement |access-date=2022-02-18 |website=An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, 1966. |language=en}}</ref> A year later, South Australia granted all citizens the right to vote and stand for election, making it the first place in the world where women could stand as candidates for election to parliament. From there, this groundbreaking reform set a precedent for broader suffrage rights worldwide. However, voting rights were often limited to those of the dominant ethnicity.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pickles |first=Katie |title=NZ was first to grant women the vote in 1893, but then took 26 years to let them stand for parliament |url=http://theconversation.com/nz-was-first-to-grant-women-the-vote-in-1893-but-then-took-26-years-to-let-them-stand-for-parliament-123467 |access-date=2022-02-18 |website=The Conversation |date=18 September 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=SA |first=Department of Human Services |title=The South Australian women's suffrage campaign |url=https://officeforwomen.sa.gov.au/womens-policy/125th-anniversary-of-suffrage/the-south-australian-womens-suffrage-campaign |access-date=2022-02-18 |website=officeforwomen.sa.gov.au |language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grimshaw |first=Patricia |date=2000 |title=Settler Anxieties, Indigenous Peoples, and Women's Suffrage in the Colonies of Australia, New Zealand, and Hawai'i, 1888 to 1902 |journal=Pacific Historical Review |volume=69 |issue=4 |pages=553–572 |doi=10.2307/3641224 |issn=0030-8684 |jstor=3641224}}</ref>


In the United States, after the principle of "]" was established in the early 1960s by the ] under ],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Goldman |first=Ari L. |date=21 November 1986 |title=One Man, One Vote: Decades of Court Decisions |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/21/nyregion/one-man-one-vote-decades-of-court-decisions.html |access-date=14 January 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pederson |first=William D. |title=Earl Warren |url=https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1370/earl-warren |access-date=14 January 2020 |website=www.mtsu.edu |language=en}}</ref> the ], together with the ], continued to protect and expand the ], especially African Americans, through the ], ] and several Supreme Court rulings.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=We Shall Overcome – The Players |url=https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/civilrights/prize.htm |access-date=5 October 2019 |website=www.nps.gov}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections |url=https://www.oyez.org/cases/1965/48 |access-date=5 October 2019 |website=Oyez |language=en}}</ref> In addition, the term "]" is also associated specifically with ]; a movement to extend the franchise to women began in the mid-19th century and culminated in 1920,{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} when the United States ratified the ], guaranteeing the right of women to vote.<ref>{{Cite web |title=19th Amendment |url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/amendmentxix |access-date=24 May 2019 |website=LII / Legal Information Institute |language=en}}</ref> It would be 1928 before voting rights were guaranteed to all women in the ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women Get The Vote |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/electionsvoting/womenvote/overview/thevote/ |website=parliament.uk}}</ref>
In 1893 New Zealand became the first nation in the world to grant universal, male and female adult suffrage.<ref name="Nohlen" /> In most countries, full universal suffrage followed about a generation after full male suffrage. Notable exceptions in Europe were France, where women could not vote until 1944, Greece (1952), and Switzerland (1971 in federal elections and 1990 in all cantonal elections). It is worth noting that countries that took a long time to adopt women's suffrage were often actually pioneers in granting universal male suffrage.


=== In more detail ===
In the first modern ], governments restricted the vote to those with property and wealth, which almost always meant a minority of the male population. In some jurisdictions, other restrictions existed, such as requiring voters to practice a given religion. In all modern democracies, the number of people who could vote has increased progressively with time. In the 19th century in Europe, Great Britain and North America, there were movements advocating "universal suffrage". The democratic movement of the late 19th century, unifying ] and ], particularly in ], used the slogan ''Equal and Common Suffrage''.<!-- Redirects here; hence italicised! -->
France, under the ], was the first major country to enact suffrage for all adult males, though it was never formally used in practice (the constitution was immediately suspended before being implemented, and the ] occurred in 1795 after the ] in 1794 discredited most ideas associated with them, including that constitution). Elsewhere in the ] world, the ] legislated for universal male suffrage in 1816.<ref>
{{cite book
| last1 = Dubois
| first1 = Laurent
| author-link1 = Laurent Dubois
| title = Haiti: The Aftershocks of History
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=drU3HlesN5kC
| location = New York
| publisher = Henry Holt and Company
| date = 2012
| pages = 60–61
| isbn = 9780805095623
| access-date = 19 September 2019
| quote = In 1816, the Republic of Haiti put into place a new constitution . The creation of the Chamber of Deputies was a significant advance for democratic government: the deputies were elected by universal male suffrage, with no restrictions on the right to vote .
}}
</ref> The ] instituted adult male suffrage after the ].<ref name="Caramani" />


Following the French revolutions, movements in the Western world toward more universal suffrage occurred in the early 19th century, and focused on removing property requirements for voting. In 1867 Germany (the ]) enacted suffrage for all adult males. In the United States following the ], slaves were freed and ], including ] (although several states established restrictions largely, though not completely, diminishing these rights). In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the focus of the ] came to include the extension of the ], as happened from the post-Civil War era in several Western ] and during the 1890s in a number of British colonies.
The concept of universal suffrage requires the right to vote to be granted to all its residents. All countries, however, do not allow certain categories of citizens to vote. All countries have a minimum age, usually coinciding with the ], and several countries impose ] and disfranchisement based on resident status and citizenship. ] is the last major country that still does not allow women to vote, but has announced that this will change in the 2015 municipal elections.


On 19 September 1893 the British Governor of New Zealand, ], gave assent to a new electoral act, which meant that New Zealand became the first British-controlled colony in which women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://nzhistory.govt.nz/politics/womens-suffrage|title= new zealand women and the vote|website= nzhistory.govt.nz|access-date= 30 June 2019}}</ref> This was followed shortly after by the colony of ] in 1894, which was the second to allow women to vote, but the first colony to permit women to stand for election as well.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/womens-suffrage|title=Women's suffrage|access-date=1 December 2019}}</ref> In 1906, the autonomous Russian territory known as ] (which became the Republic of Finland in 1917) became the first territory in the world to implement unrestricted universal suffrage, as women could stand as candidates, unlike in New Zealand, and without indigenous ethnic exclusion, like in Australia. It also lead to the election of the world's first female members of parliament ].<ref name="eduskunta.fi">{{Cite web|url=https://www.eduskunta.fi/EN/tietoaeduskunnasta/historia/Pages/default.aspx|title=Eduskunnan lyhyt historia|website=www.eduskunta.fi}}</ref><ref name="web.archive.org">{{Cite web|url=http://www.aanioikeus.fi/en/articles/strike.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720175612/http://www.aanioikeus.fi/en/articles/strike.htm|archive-date=20 July 2011|title=Centenary of women's full political rights in Finland|date=20 July 2011}}</ref> Federal states and colonial or autonomous territories prior to ] have multiple examples of early introduction of universal suffrage. However, these legal changes were effected with the permission of the British, Russian or other government bodies, which were considered the sovereign nation at the time. For this reason, Australia (1901), New Zealand (1908) and Finland (1917) all have different dates of achieving independent nationhood.
==Expanding suffrage==
] process.]]
] is the only supra-national organ elected with universal suffrage (since 1979).]]


] depicting the birth of universal suffrage, "one of the most sacred rights of Man, born in France on 24 february 1848."]]
The first movements in the Western world toward universal suffrage occurred in the early 19th century, and focused on removing property requirements for voting. In the United States following the ], slaves were freed and granted rights of citizens, including suffrage for adult males (although states established restrictions later in the century). In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the focus of the ] was the extension of the ].
The ] adopted universal male suffrage briefly in 1792; it was one of the first national systems that abolished all property requirements as a prerequisite for allowing men to register and vote. Greece recognized full male suffrage in 1844.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Greece|title=Greece – Building the nation, 1832–1913|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|date=25 June 2023 }}</ref> Spain recognized it in the ] and France and Switzerland have continuously done so since the ] (for resident male citizens). Upon independence in the 19th century, several Latin-American countries and Liberia in Africa initially extended suffrage to all adult males, but subsequently restricted it based on property requirements. The ] implemented full male suffrage in 1871.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iub.edu/~paris10/ParisOSS/Day10_Sex_and_Gender/d7_Offen.html|title=Karen Offen, "Women, Citizenship, and Suffrage in France Since 1789"|website=www.iub.edu|access-date=21 December 2019|archive-date=1 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401105757/http://www.iub.edu/~paris10/ParisOSS/Day10_Sex_and_Gender/d7_Offen.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>


In the United States, the ], ratified in 1870 during the ], provided that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This amendment aimed to guarantee the right to vote to African Americans, many of whom had been ] in the ] prior to the end (1865) of the ] and the 1864–1865 ]. Despite the amendment, however, ] in the former Confederate states ]; Southern officials ignored the amendment and blocked black citizens from voting through a variety of devices, including ], ], and ]s;<ref name="Davidson">Chandler Davidson, "The Recent Evolution of Voting Rights Law Affecting Racial and Language Minorities" in ''Quiet Revolution in the South: The Impact of the Voting Rights Act, 1965–1990'' (Princeton University Press, 1994: eds. Chandler Davidson & Bernard Grofman), pp. 21–22.</ref> violence and ] were used to intimidate some would-be voters.<ref>Gary Gershman, "Fifteenth Amendment (1870)" in ''Race and Racism in the United States: An Encyclopedia of the American Mosaic'' (eds. Charles A. Gallagher, Cameron D. Lippard), pp. 441–43.</ref> Southern blacks did not effectively receive the right to vote until the ].<ref name="Davidson"/>
Several European nations that had enacted universal suffrage had their normal legal process, or their status as an independent nation, interrupted during and after the ].


In 1893 the self-governing colony New Zealand became the first country in the world (except for the short-lived 18th-century ]) to grant active universal suffrage by giving women the right to vote. It did not grant universal full suffrage (the right to both vote and be a candidate, or both active and passive suffrage) until 1919.<ref name="Nohlen" />
Many societies in the past have denied people the right to vote on the basis of race, religion or ethnicity, related to discriminatory ideas about citizenship. For example, in ]-era ], non-] could not vote in national elections until the first multi-party elections in 1994. The ] discriminated against ] in ] by means of ] electoral boundaries and property requirements to vote.


In 1902, the Commonwealth of Australia became the first country to grant full suffrage for women, i.e. the rights both to vote and to run for office.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-suffragettes |title=Australian suffragettes |access-date=17 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310153450/http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-suffragettes |archive-date=2016-03-10}}</ref> However, Australia did not implement universal suffrage at this time – nationwide voting rights for ] were not established until 1962, before that varying by state.
Although in the United States ] were granted the rights of citizens, including suffrage, by constitutional amendments following the ], later in the century white ] had regained control in all states of the former ] in the American South. From 1890 to 1910 they passed new constitutions, laws or constitutional amendments establishing barriers to voter registration and, later, voting, that essentially ] most African Americans. They mounted legal challenges, but did not fully regain the ability to exercise their rights until after passage in the mid-1960s of the ], which provided federal protection and enforcement. This was a result of their activism in the ].


Many societies in the past have denied or abridged political representation on the basis of race or ethnicity, related to discriminatory ideas about ]. For example, in ]-era South Africa, non-White people could generally not vote in national elections until the first ]. However, a nonracial franchise existed under the ], which was replaced by a number of ] in 1936 (Blacks) and 1958 (Coloureds). Later, the ] established separate chambers for Whites, Coloureds and Indians. Rhodesia enacted a similar statute to the former in ] of 1965, which however allowed a smaller number of representatives for the considerably larger Black majority (under its 1961 constitution, the voting classes had been based on socio-economic standards, which marginalized most Black and a few White voters to a separate set of constituencies, under the principle of ]; this was replaced in 1969 by an explicitly racial franchise, with delegated all Blacks to the 'B' voters roll).
==Disfranchisement==
{{main|Disfranchisement}}
All US states, with the exceptions of Maine and Vermont, disfranchise some felons from voting depending on their current incarceration, parole or probation status; a number of US states permanently disfranchise some felons, even after their release from prison.<ref></ref> Many states within the U.S. previously disfranchised ]s, persons who either paid no direct taxes, or received public assistance.<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Robert J. |last=Steinfeld |doi=10.2307/1228746 |title=Property and Suffrage in the Early American Republic |journal=] |volume=41 |issue=2 |year=1989 |pages=335–376, p.&nbsp;335 ''et passim'' }}</ref>


==Women's suffrage==
Nations have differing degrees of legal recognition of non-resident citizens: non-resident ] cannot vote after two years;<ref name="danish-expat-vote"></ref> non-resident ] may vote for representatives ] in the ]; British citizens cannot vote for their ] unless they have lived in the UK within the last fifteen years.<ref> UK Parliament</ref> A few nations also restrict those who are part of the military or police forces, e.g. ].<ref></ref>
{{main|Women's suffrage}}
In ] (including Swedish-ruled ]), women's suffrage was granted during the ] from 1718 until 1772.<ref>Karlsson Sjögren, Åsa, Männen, kvinnorna och rösträtten: medborgarskap och representation 1723–1866 , Carlsson, Stockholm, 2006 (in Swedish)</ref>


In ], women's suffrage was granted in 1755 and lasted until 1769.<ref name="Kulinski">A. Kulinski, K. Pawlowski. "The Atlantic Community – The Titanic of the XXI Century". p. 96. WSB-NLU. 2010</ref>
Many democratic countries, for example the United Kingdom and France, have had colonies with citizens living outside of the mother country and have generally not been entitled to vote for the national legislature. A peculiarly complex case is that of ] under the ]: Algeria was legally an integral part of France, but citizenship was restricted (as in other French colonies proper) by legal status, not by race or ethnicity. Any Muslim Algerian could become a French citizen by choosing to live like one. As this required the person to resign jurisdiction under Islamic law in favour of French civic law, very few did. Among Muslims, such a change was considered ] from ], which was the dominant religion in Algeria. Colonists in America declared Independence from Great Britain citing "no taxation without representation" as one of their main grievances. However, the newly minted country did not grant its overseas the right to vote in elections either. This did not happen until the passage of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act in 1986.


Women's suffrage (with the same property qualifications as for men) was granted in ] in 1776 (the word "inhabitants" was used instead of "men" in the 1776 Constitution) and rescinded in 1807.
Citizens of an ] are allowed to vote in ], as well as some local elections. For example, a British person living in ], ], would be entitled to vote for the European Parliament as a resident of the "electoral district" of Austria, and to vote in Graz municipal elections. He would, however, not be entitled to vote in Austrian (federal) elections, or ]n (state) elections. Similarly, all locally resident EU citizens in the UK are allowed to vote for representatives of the local council, and those resident in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may vote for the devolved parliaments or assemblies. But, only British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are allowed to vote for the ].


The ] granted restricted women's suffrage in 1838. Various other countries and states granted restricted women's suffrage in the later half of the nineteenth century, starting with ] in 1861.
In the ], Palestinians are not Israeli citizens and therefore cannot vote in Israeli elections. Different areas of the West Bank are under ]. ] (and their offspring) to Area C retain their citizenship, and can continue to vote.

The first unrestricted women's suffrage in a major country was granted ] in 1893.<ref name="Nohlen">{{cite book |last=Nohlen |first=Dieter |author-link=Dieter Nohlen |date=2001 |title=Elections in Asia and the Pacific: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific |page=14 |publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> The women's suffrage bill was adopted mere weeks before the general election of 1893. Māori men had been granted suffrage in 1867, white men in 1879. The '']'' index lists New Zealand as the only free country in the world in 1893.<ref name="Kulinski"/>

] first granted women suffrage and allowed them to stand for parliament ].

In 1906, the autonomous ] became the first territory to give women full political rights, i.e. both the right to vote and to run for office, and was the second in the world and the first in Europe to give women the right to vote.<ref name="eduskunta.fi"/><ref name="web.archive.org"/> The world's first female members of parliament were ] in Finland the following year, 1907. After the German Revolution of 1918–19, the Weimar Constitution established universal suffrage in 1919 with a minimum voting age of 20.

The UK gave women the right to vote at the same age as men (21) in 1928.

In 1931, the ] allowed women the right of ] with three women being elected.

During a discussion on extending women's right to active suffrage, the Radical Socialist ] confronted the Radical ]. Kent argued that Spanish women were not yet prepared to vote and, since they were too influenced by the ], they would vote for right-wing candidates. Campoamor however pleaded for women's rights regardless of political orientation. Her point finally prevailed and, in the election of 1933, the political right won with the vote of citizens of any sex over 23. Both Campoamor and Kent lost their seats.

In Switzerland, ] was introduced at the federal level, by a nationwide (male) referendum in 1971, but the referendum did not give women the right to vote at the local Cantonal level. The Cantons independently voted to grant women the right to vote. The first Canton to give women the right to vote was ] in 1959. The last Canton, ], had a centuries-old law forbidding women to vote. This was only changed in 1990 when Switzerland's Federal Court ordered the Canton to grant women the right to vote.<ref name=Appenzell>{{cite web |url=http://www.ai.ch/de/portrait/geschichte/welcome.php?action=showinfo&info_id=219 |title=1990 - Einführung des Frauenstimmrechtes |publisher=Kanton Appenzell Innerrhoden |language=de |location=Appenzell, Switzerland |access-date=2016-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822025740/http://www.ai.ch/de/portrait/geschichte/welcome.php?action=showinfo&info_id=219 |archive-date=22 August 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

==Youth suffrage==
{{main|Youth suffrage}}
The movement to lower the ] many consider an aspect of universal suffrage<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearse |first=Harry |title=Why aren't children allowed to vote? An expert debunks the arguments against |url=http://theconversation.com/why-arent-children-allowed-to-vote-an-expert-debunks-the-arguments-against-187497 |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=The Conversation |date=28 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref> that the ] has helped to lead. Organizations such as the ] are active in the United States to advocate for a lower voting age, with some success,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youthrights.org/blog/congress-votes-on-lowering-voting-age-to-16/ |title=Congress Votes on Lowering Voting Age to 16 |last=Conner |first=Brian |date=14 March 2019 |website=youthrights.org |publisher=National Youth Rights Association |access-date=4 April 2019 |quote=NYRA has been campaigning for a lower voting age since we were founded in 1998, and we are overjoyed that pro-youth policies are finally close to passing on the national level thanks to our years of local advocacy in towns such as Takoma Park, MD where we helped lower the voting age in 2013.}}</ref> among other issues related to youth rights. A related movement, ] provides important precedents and ] with the movement to extend voting rights to children and youth.<ref name=":022" />

== Non-citizen suffrage ==
{{Main|Non-citizen suffrage|Non-resident citizen voting}}
While some jurisdictions extend the right to vote in at least some elections to resident non-citizens and non-resident citizens, many people remain unable to vote based on their citizenship and residency status. Non-citizen suffrage with ] can result in dual transnational voting.<ref name="x226">{{cite journal | last1=Umpierrez de Reguero | first1=Sebastián | last2=Finn | first2=Victoria | title=Migrants' intention to vote in two countries, one country, or neither | journal=Journal of Elections, Public Opinion and Parties | volume=34 | issue=3 | date=2 July 2024 | issn=1745-7289 | doi=10.1080/17457289.2023.2189727 | pages=466–489| hdl=1814/75483 | hdl-access=free }}</ref>


==Dates by country== ==Dates by country==
States have granted and revoked universal suffrage at various times. This list can be organised in three ways:<br>
* '''Universal''' There are no distinctions between voters over a certain age in any part of its territories due to gender, literacy, wealth, social status, language, religion, race, or ethnicity.
* '''Male''' is for all males over a certain age irrespective of literacy, wealth, or social status.
* '''Female''' is for all genders over a certain age irrespective of literacy, wealth, or social status.
* '''Ethnicity''' is for all eligible voters over a certain age irrespective of language, religion, race, or ethnicity.


{{Outdated as of|2021|08|topic=Afghanistan}}
''Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the ] icons.''

States have granted and revoked universal suffrage at various times.

''Note: this chart does not indicate periods of autocratic rule (when voting has little or no power).''
* '''Adult citizens''' There are no distinctions between citizens over a certain age in any part of its territories due to gender, literacy, wealth, social status, religion, race, or ethnicity.
* '''Male''' is for all males over a certain age in the majority ethnic or sectarian group irrespective of literacy, wealth, or social status.
* '''Female''' is for when all women over a certain age can vote on the same terms as men.
* '''Ethnicity''' is for when all eligible voters over a certain age can vote on the same terms as the majority or politically dominant group irrespective of religion, race, or ethnicity.

Since historically one group or another might have lost suffrage rights only to regain them later on, this table lists the last uninterrupted time from the present a group was granted the right to vote if that group's suffrage has been fully restored.
{{noprint|''Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the ] icons.''}}


{{Sticky header}}
{| class="sortable wikitable"
{| class="sortable wikitable sticky-header"
|+ '''Universal suffrage by country/territory'''
|+ Suffrage milestones by country or territory
! Universal
! Country or territory
! Adult citizens
! Male ! Male
! Female ! Female
! Ethnicity ! Ethnicity
! Country / Territory
! class="unsortable"| Notes ! class="unsortable"| Notes
|- |-
| Afghanistan
| ?
| 1964 | 2004
| ? | 2004
| ? | 2004
| 2004
| ]
| In 1919 ] "created Afghanistan's first constitution, which abolished slavery, created a legislature, guaranteed secular education, and instituted equal rights for men and women."<ref name="centralasiainstitute.org">{{Cite web|url=https://centralasiainstitute.org/womens-voting-rights/|title=The Fight for Women's Voting Rights|date=8 November 2017}}</ref> By 1929 he was overthrown along with his constitution and all voting rights were removed. The ] transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1573181.stm | work=BBC News | title=Profile: Ex-king Zahir Shah | date=1 October 2001}}</ref> In 1979 the ] and toppled the government, leaving in 1989. The Taliban took control of the government in 1996. But it wasn't until after the ] that people regained the right to vote in 2004<ref name="centralasiainstitute.org"/>
| Constitution transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1573181.stm | work=BBC News | title=Profile: Ex-king Zahir Shah | date=October 1, 2001}}</ref>
|- |-
| Argentina
| ?
| 1912 | 1952
| 1947 | 1853
| ? | 1952
| 1853
| ]
| Universal, secret and mandatory suffrage for male citizens over 18 years of age was granted by ]. The ] of 1912 was amended to include female citizens in 1947. | Universal male suffrage was instituted in 1853. Universal, ''secret'' and mandatory suffrage for male citizens over 18 years of age was granted by the ] (General Election Law) of 1912. It was amended to include female citizens in 1947 but became effective in 1952.
|- |-
| ? | Armenia
| 1919 | 1919
| ? | 1919
| ? | 1919
| 1919
| ]
| Since the establishment of the ]. June 21 and 23, 1919, first direct parliamentary elections were held in Armenia under universal suffrage - every person over the age of 20 had the right to vote regardless of gender, ethnicity or religious beliefs and 3 women were elected as MPs.<ref>{{cite web|author=Badalyan, Lena|date=5 December 2018|title=Women's Suffrage: The Armenian Formula|url=https://chai-khana.org/en/womens-suffrage-the-armenian-formula|access-date=30 November 2018|publisher=Chai Khana|archive-date=1 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181201005054/https://chai-khana.org/en/womens-suffrage-the-armenian-formula|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Harutyunyan">{{cite web|last1=Harutyunyan|first1=Anahit|date=8 March 2018|script-title=hy:Առաջին խորհրդարանի (1919-1920) երեք կին պատգամավորները|url=https://www.aniarc.am/2018/03/08/women-1919-1920-mp/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504044633/https://www.aniarc.am/2018/03/08/women-1919-1920-mp/|archive-date=4 May 2018|access-date=11 January 2019|website=ANI Armenian Research Center|publisher=Armenian Research Center for Anteriology|location=Yerevan|language=hy|quote=Three female deputies of the first parliament (1919-1920)}}</ref><ref>] ''Hayastani Hanrapetutyun'' (The Republic of Armenia, ''Arm.''), Yerevan, 1993, p. 292.</ref>
| Became part of the Soviet Union in 1920
|- |-
| ]
| 1962
| 1850s | 1965
| 1894 | 1901
| ]
| 1962
| ]
| ]
| In 1856, the parliament of the self-governing ] enacted legislation providing for universal male suffrage for all male residents over the age of 21.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/num_act/ca2o19v18556265/ |title=Constitution Act (No 2 of 19 Vic, 1855-6) |date=4 January 1856 |access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Australian voting history in action | website=] | url=https://www.aec.gov.au/About_AEC/25/theme1-voting-history.htm | access-date=9 March 2022}}</ref> The parliaments of the ] and the ] followed suit by enacting legislation providing universal male suffrage in 1857 and 1858, respectively.
| In 1855, the parliament of the self-governing Colony of South Australia enacted legislation providing for universal male suffrage. The parliaments of the Colony of Victoria and the Colony of New South Wales followed suit by enacting legislation providing universal male suffrage in 1857 and 1858, respectively. In 1894 the parliament of the Colony of South Australia enacted legislation providing a full and universal adult franchise; the right of all adults of the age of majority to vote in elections, and for any elector to stand for high office. In 1901, the self-governing colonies of Australia joined together in a federal structure of states. In 1902, the new federal parliament legislated for a universal adult franchise and the right of electors to stand for and occupy any office for which they could directly vote. Indigenous people were explicitly excluded. True universal suffrage was not achieved until 1962 when the Commonwealth Electoral Act extends the right to vote to all Australians regardless of race.
In 1894, the parliament of the Colony of South Australia enacted legislation providing female adults franchise; giving all adults of the age of majority the right to vote in elections, and for any elector to stand for high office.

In 1901, the self-governing colonies of Australia ]. In 1902, the new federal parliament legislated for an adult franchise and the right of electors to stand for and occupy any office for which they could directly vote. This franchise, including voting rights for non-Indigenous women, was established by the '']''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Women's Suffrage |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/digital-classroom/senior-secondary/shoulder-shoulder-feminism-australia/womens-suffrage |access-date=2022-07-09 |website=National Library of Australia |language=en}}</ref> Voting rights for Indigenous Australians varied depending on state legislation. The ''Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962'' granted Indigenous Australians the right to vote in federal elections. In 1965, the Queensland parliament extended voting rights to all Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. Compulsory enrolment was extended to Indigenous Australians nationwide in 1984.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Indigenous Australians' right to vote |url=https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/indigenous-australians-right-to-vote |access-date=2022-07-09 |website=National Museum of Australia |language=en}}</ref>
|- |-
| ? | Austria
| 1896/1907
| 1918 | 1918
| ? | 1896
| ] | ]
| 1907
| Universal suffrage 1896, universal and equal suffrage (removing multiple voting) 1907. Before 1907 unmarried landholding women were allowed to vote. After the ]' defeat in ] universal suffrage including women. | Universal suffrage 1896, universal and equal suffrage (removing multiple voting) 1907. Before 1907 unmarried landholding women were allowed to vote. After the ]' defeat in ] universal suffrage including women.
|- |-
| Azerbaijan
| ?
| 1919 | 1919
| 1919 | 1919
| ? | 1919
| 1919
| ]
| Joined the nascent ]<ref name="ussr" group="nb">While the USSR was not formally founded until 1922, a group of socialist republics under the influence of Soviet Russia existed for several years before that.</ref> in 1920.
| Became part of the Soviet Union in 1920
|- |-
| ? | Bahamas
| 1973 | 1961
| 2002 | 1958
| ? | 1961
| 1807
| ]
| Legislation passed in the house in 1961 allowing for Universal adult suffrage in The Bahamas. All men could vote equally in The Bahamas in 1958. In 1807 legislation passed in the house of assembly giving free persons of color the right to vote.{{citation needed|date=May 2019}} Electorate is less than half of citizenry.{{why|date=June 2024}}
| Universal male suffrage in 1973, although parliament was suspended and dissolved in 1975 for approximately 30 years.
|- |-
| ? | Bahrain
| 1975
| 1975
| 1975<ref name="Womenshistory.about.com">{{cite web|url=http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage/a/intl_timeline_3.htm|title=Woman Suffrage Timeline International – Winning the Vote Around the World|date=25 April 1908|publisher=Womenshistory.about.com|access-date=6 May 2013|archive-date=12 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150712053951/http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrage/a/intl_timeline_3.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| –
| Universal suffrage in 1973, although parliament was suspended and dissolved in 1975 for approximately 30 years.
|-
| Barbados
| 1950
| 1950
| 1950
| 1831
| In 1831, legislation passed in the house of assembly giving free men of color the right to vote with an income qualification stipulation . In 1943, women were given the right to vote as men as long as they passed the income qualification. Legislation passed in the house in 1950 allowing for universal adult suffrage in Barbados. In 1964, voting age was reduced from age 21 to 18.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History {{!}} Electoral & Boundaries Commission |url=https://www.electoral.barbados.gov.bb/25104-2/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Electoral & Boundaries Commission Barbados |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The History {{!}} BARBADOSPARLIAMENT.COM |url=https://www.barbadosparliament.com/main_page_content/show_content/13 |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=www.barbadosparliament.com}}</ref>
|-
| Belgium
| 1948
| 1893 | 1893
| 1948 | 1948
| ? | 1893
| ]
| Universal ] for all men aged 25 and above since 1893. Depending on education and amount of taxes paid, males could cast between 1 and 3 votes. Widows were also allowed to vote but lost their voting rights after remarrying. Universal single suffrage for males since 1918. Universal suffrage for women was finally introduced in 1948. | Universal ] for all men aged 25 and above since 1893. Depending on education and amount of taxes paid, males could cast between 1 and 3 votes. Widows were also allowed to vote but lost their voting rights after remarrying. Universal single suffrage for males since 1918. Universal suffrage for women was finally introduced in 1948.
|- |-
| ? | Bhutan
| 2008
| 2008
| 2008
| 2008 | 2008
| ?
| ?
| ]
| |
|- |-
| ? | Bolivia
| 1956 | 1952
| 1956 | 1938
| ? | 1952
| 1952
| ]
| Universal suffrage granted by decree; first elections in 1956; women's suffrage coincided with abolition of literacy requirements. | Universal suffrage ] of 1952; first elections in 1956; women's suffrage coincided with abolition of literacy requirements.
|- |-
| 1988 | Brazil
| 1985
| 1891 | 1891
| 1932 | 1932
| 1988 | 1891
| Male suffrage from ] excluding beggars, women, illiterates, lowest ranking soldiers and members of monastic orders.<ref>]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=February 2021}}<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Constituicao/Constituicao91.htm| title = Constitui o91}}</ref><ref>]</ref>{{Circular reference|date=February 2021}} Women from 1932. Suffrage was further expanded to all but illiterate people in 1946.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/constituicao46.htm| title = Constitui o46}}</ref> Illiterates remained without the right to vote until 1985.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/emendas/emc_anterior1988/emc25-85.htm| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070706120637/http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Constituicao/Emendas/Emc_anterior1988/emc25-85.htm| archive-date = 2007-07-06| title = Emc25}}</ref>
|]
|-
| Replaced the previous system of male suffrage, from 1891, which excluded homeless, women, priests, the military. Illiterates were still banned until 1988.
| Brunei
| –
| –
| –
| –
| No elections.
|- |-
| Bulgaria
| ?
| ?
| 1945 | 1945
| ? | 1879
| 1945
| ]
| 1879
| Universal suffrage including women and men serving in the Army was instituted by the government of the ]. | Universal suffrage including women and men serving in the Army was instituted by the government of the ].
|- |-
| Burma/Myanmar
| ?
| 1935 | 1990
| ? | 1990
| ? | 1990
| 1990
| ]
| Last free elections held in 1990.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1300082.stm | work=BBC News | title=Burma timeline | date=March 30, 2011}}</ref> | Last free elections held in 1990.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1300082.stm |work=BBC News |title=Burma timeline |date=30 March 2011}}</ref> New elections held in ], which elected 75% of legislators, while 25% remain appointed by the ].
|- |-
| Canada
| 1960 | 1960
| ? | 1920
| ]
| 1920 or 1940
| 1960 | 1960
| In 1920, Canada enacted suffrage for federal elections for male and female citizens, with exceptions for ] and ];<ref>{{cite web|title=Equality and Justice – for Some|url=http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/en/timePortals/milestones/23mile.asp|publisher=Canadian Human Rights Commission|access-date=19 July 2015}}</ref> for provincial elections, female suffrage was established between 1916 (], Alberta, ]) and 1940 (]). Chinese Canadians, regardless of gender, were given suffrage in 1947, while Aboriginal Canadians were not allowed to vote until 1960, regardless of gender. ] which joined Canada in 1949 had universal male suffrage in 1925.
| ]
| In 1920, Canada (excluding ] until 1940) enacted suffrage for both sexes. ] (of either sex) were not allowed to vote until 1960. ] which joined Canada in 1949 had universal male suffrage in 1925
|- |-
| ? | Chile
| 1970 | 1970
| 1970 | 1970
| ]
| ?
| 1970
| ]
| From 1888 suffrage for men of any race over 21 who can read. From 1925 full suffrage for men aged 21 and above and able to read and write. 1934 women get to vote on Municipal Elections. From 1949 universal suffrage for men and women aged 21 and above and able to read and write. From 1970 suffrage for men and women aged 18 and older whether or not they can read. | From 1888 suffrage for men of any race over 21 who can read. From 1925 full suffrage for men aged 21 and above and able to read and write. 1934 women get to vote on Municipal Elections. From 1949 universal suffrage for men and women aged 21 and above and able to read and write. From 1970 suffrage for men and women aged 18 and older whether or not they can read.
|- |-
| ? | China
| 1953
| 1853-1886 <br> 1936
| 1947
| 1953
| 1947
| Officially Universal suffrage was granted under the 1947 ] when the First National Assembly (disbanded 2005) elections were held in 1947. But women were not explicitly enfranchised until 1953 thanks to the first ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.insider.com/when-women-around-the-world-got-the-right-to-vote-2019-2|title = When women got the right to vote in 25 places around the world|website = ]}}</ref> The general populace can only vote for ]. National elections for president and premier are held by the ]. ] had the first multi-party legislative elections in 1992 and the first presidential election in 1996.
|-
| Colombia
| 1954 | 1954
| 1853 | 1936
| ] | ]
| 1936
| Universal male suffrage starting in 1853, restricted in 1886. <br> Electorate defined on the basis of adult franchise and joint electorate.
| Universal male suffrage started in 1853, restricted in 1886. Electorate defined on the basis of adult franchise and joint electorate.
|- |-
| First Czechoslovak Republic
| ?
| 1896/1907
| 1918 | 1918
| ? | 1896
| 1918
| ]
| 1896
| Within Austria universal suffrage 1896, universal and equal suffrage (removing multiple voting) 1907.After the ]' defeat in World War I universal suffrage including women.
| Within Austria, universal suffrage 1896, universal and equal suffrage (removing multiple voting) 1907. After the ]' defeat in World War I, universal suffrage including women.
|- |-
| Denmark
| 1915 | 1915
| 1849 | 1849
| 1915 | 1915
| 1915 | 1849
| The King granted limited voting rights in 1834 but only to property owners and with limited power. First proper voting rights came in 1849 to "men over 30 of good reputation" but in the subsequent years the rules were changed a number of times, and it was not until the change of the constitution in 1915 that all men and women living within the kingdom had influence on all chambers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://danmarkshistorien.dk/leksikon-og-kilder/vis/materiale/valgret-1834-1915/|title=Valgret 1834–1915|website=danmarkshistorien.dk}}</ref> Danish law does not operate with any notion of "ethnicity", but non-resident citizens are still excluded from voting after two years abroad.<ref name="danish-expat-vote">{{Cite web|url=https://valg.oim.dk/vaelgere/udlandsdanskeres-valgret/|title=Udlandsdanskeres valgret|website=valg.oim.dk}}</ref>
| ]
| The king granted limited voting rights in 1834 but only to property owners and with limited power. First proper voting rights came in 1849 to "men over 30 of good reputation" but in the subsequent years the rules were changed a number of times, and it was not until the change of the constitution in 1915 that all men and women living within the kingdom had influence on all chambers.<ref></ref> Danish law does not operate with any notion of "ethnicity," however, universal suffrage cannot have been said to be obtained because non-residents are still excluded from voting after two years abroad.<ref name="danish-expat-vote" />
|- |-
| Dominican Republic
| ?
| 2015
| {{date?}}
| {{date?}}
| {{date?}}
| ] proposed the inclusion of the military vote in the constitutional reform of ], to be effective in the elections of 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://eldia.com.do/zorrilla-ozuna-propone-incluir-voto-militar-en-modificacion-constitucional/|title=Zorrilla Ozuna propone incluir voto militar en modificación constitucional|date=1 June 2015|website=El Día|language=es|access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref>
|-
| Ecuador
| {{date?}}
| {{date?}}
| ]
| {{date?}}
|
|-
| Estonia
| 1918
| 1917
| 1918
| 1917 | 1917
| ?
| ?
| ]
| Two tiered elections were held, with 62 representatives from rural communities and towns elected in May–June and July–August, respectively. | Two tiered elections were held, with 62 representatives from rural communities and towns elected in May–June and July–August, respectively.
|- |-
| European Union
| ?
| 1979 | 1979
| ? | 1979
| ? | 1979
| 1979
| ]
|] have taken place since 1979.
|
|-
| 1944
| 1792
| 1944
| ?
| ]
| In 1792, the Convention assembly was elected by all males 25 and over. Over the subsequent 82 years, France experienced profound political upheaval, with republican, monarchist and bonapartist government governing at various times. Through these changes, suffrage increased and decreased based on the introduction, repeal and reintroduction of various degrees of universal, property and census-based suffrage. The turmoil in the extent of the franchise was ended by the Constitutional Law of 1875, which provided universal male suffrage. This was supplemented in 1944 by full universal suffrage, including women as voters.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}
|- |-
| Finland
| 1906 | 1906
| 1906 | 1906
| 1906 | 1906
| ? | 1906
| As an ] ] in the ], Finland achieved universal suffrage in 1906, becoming the second country in the world to adopt universal suffrage.<ref>{{cite book |title=Official Report of Debates |page=113 |work=Council of Europe |date=1991}}</ref> The ] was the first time when women were elected (19 of 200 MPs). After becoming independent in 1917, ] continued its universal suffrage.
| ]
| As an ] ] in the ], Finland achieved women's suffrage in 1906, becoming the second country in the world to adopt universal suffrage.<ref>"Official Report of Debates". p.113. Council of Europe, 1991</ref> The ] was the first time when women were elected (19 of 200 MPs). After becoming independent in 1917, ] continued its universal suffrage.
|- |-
| France
| 1945{{refn|group=nb|name=France1945|Over the years suffrage increased and decreased based on the introduction, repeal and reintroduction of various degrees of universal, property and census-based suffrage. Universal male suffrage was given in 1848 and in 1944 women had equal universal suffrage rights to men. The military obtained the right to vote in 1945.}}
| 1792
| 1944
| 1792{{refn|group=nb|name=FranceEthnicity|In 1792, the Convention assembly was elected by all French males 21 and over regardless of one's ethnicity. While not an ethnicity, those serving in the military obtained the right to vote in 1945.}}
| In 1792, the Convention assembly was elected by all French males 21 and over.<ref>Thompson, J. M. (1959). The French Revolution. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.</ref><ref>décret relatif à la formation de la convention nationale du 10 août 1792 : « L'assemblée nationale décrète que, pour la formation de la convention nationale prochaine, tout Français âgé de vingt et un ans, domicilié depuis un an, vivant du produit de son travail, sera admis à voter dans les assemblées de commune et dans les assemblées primaires, comme tout autre citoyen actif. »</ref> Over the subsequent years, France experienced profound political upheaval, with republican, monarchist and bonapartist government governing at various times. Through these changes, suffrage increased and decreased based on the introduction, repeal and reintroduction of various degrees of universal, property and census-based suffrage.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Przeworski |first=Adam |date=2009 |title=Conquered or Granted? A History of Suffrage Extensions |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-political-science/article/abs/conquered-or-granted-a-history-of-suffrage-extensions/A4E9E4C21CA70A0603744957F941A78A |journal=British Journal of Political Science |language=en |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=291–321 |doi=10.1017/S0007123408000434 |issn=1469-2112}}</ref> Universal male suffrage was given in 1848, with the exception of the military who obtained the right to vote in 1945. This was supplemented in 1944 by full universal suffrage, including women as voters.{{citation needed|date=September 2013}}
|-
| Georgia
| 1919 | 1919
| 1848/1871
| 1919 | 1919
| 1919 | 1919
| 1919
| ]
| The first democratic elections were held on 14–16 February 1919. Five women were elected in total (for Menshevik party) to take part in national legislature numbering 130MPs. In 1921, Georgia became a part of the nascent ].<ref name=ussr group=nb/>
| After the ]' defeat in World War I and the introduction of a democratic system, the ]. Revoked during 1935–1945 by the ]. The restrictions applied also to the territories occupied by the ] during ]. The ] (until 1918) (and the ] before it) had had universal male suffrage since 1867/71, which then has been one of the most progressive election laws.<ref>M. L. Anderson: Praciticing Democracy. Elections and Political Culture in Imperial Germany. Princeton (NJ) 2000;</ref>
|- |-
| ? | Germany
| 1919
| 1871
| 1919
| 1919 | 1919
| The ] from 1871 until 1918 (and the ] before it from 1867) had universal male suffrage, one of the more progressive election franchises at the time.<ref>M. L. Anderson: Praciticing Democracy. Elections and Political Culture in Imperial Germany. Princeton (NJ) 2000;</ref> After the ], the ] established universal suffrage in 1919 with a minimum voting age of 20.
| ?
| ?
| ]
| Became part of the Soviet Union in 1921
|- |-
| ? | Ghana
| 1951 | 1951
| 1951 | 1951
| ? | 1951
| 1951
| ]
| Universal suffrage granted for the ]. | Universal suffrage was granted for the ]. This was the first election to be held in Africa under universal suffrage.<ref>Brown, J.M. & Roger Louis, W.M. (1999) </ref>
|- |-
| Greece
| 1952 | 1952
| 1829 | 1844
| 1930 or 1952 | 1952
| ? | 1844
| After the ], the ] with the electoral law of 18 March 1844 introduced universal male suffrage with secret ballot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Greece|title=Greece – Building the nation, 1832–1913|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref> Women were given the right to vote in local elections in 1930 and in parliamentary elections since 1952.
| ]
| After the deposition of King Otto of Greece in 1862, a new constitution was introduced introducing universal male suffrage. Universal male suffrage in 1864, with secret ballot; women given the vote in local elections since 1930 and in parliamentary elections since 1952.
|- |-
| ]
| 2017 (planned)<ref> ABC News. Retrieved November 4, 2011</ref>
| 1991
| 2017 (planned)
| 1991
| 2017 (planned)
| 1991
| 2017 (planned)
| 1991
| ]
| Held its first ], electing part of the legislators. However currently, less than a quarter of the seats in its ] are elected via universal suffrage, the rest being ] elected by trade groups and seats held by those ].
| ]
|- |-
| ? | Hungary
| ?
| 1918 | 1918
| ? | 1918
| 1918
| ]
| 1867
| After the ]' defeat in World War I
| After the ]' defeat in World War I.
Somewhat reverted in 1925: women's voting age raised to 30, education and wealth requirements were raised. In rural constituencies open voting was reinstated.
The rate of eligible citizens fell to 29%.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hungarian Voting Act of 1925 |url=http://1000ev.hu/index.php?a=3&param=7637 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623162958/http://1000ev.hu/index.php?a=3&param=7637 |archive-date=23 June 2015 |language=hu}}</ref>
|- |-
| Iceland
| 1920
| 1920
| 1920
| 1920
| A small proportion of men were given the right to vote in the ].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jóhannesson |first=Guðni Th. |date=2010 |title=Country Report: Iceland |url=https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/19617/Iceland.pdf?sequence=1 |journal=EUDO Citizenship Observatory}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Hvenær varð kosningaréttur almennur á Íslandi? |url=http://www.visindavefur.is/svar.php?id=73712 |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Vísindavefurinn |language=is}}</ref>
A small proportion of women were granted the right to vote in local elections in 1882.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iceland celebrates Women's Rights Day today! |url=https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/politics_and_society/2016/06/19/iceland_celebrates_women_s_rights_day_today/ |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Iceland Monitor}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> Women's suffrage was proposed in the ] in 1911, ratified by the Althing in 1913, and enacted on 19 June 1915 by the Danish king; but this only granted the vote to women over 40, and did not grant the right to vote to servants.<ref name="styrk">{{cite web |last1=Styrkársdóttir |first1=Auður |title=Kvennasögusafn Íslands – Women's suffrage in Iceland |url=https://kvennasogusafn.is/index.php?page=womens-suffrage |access-date=19 October 2018 |website=kvennasogusafn.is |publisher=Director of the Women's History Archives, Iceland from 2001–2016 |language=is |archive-date=19 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019164039/https://kvennasogusafn.is/index.php?page=womens-suffrage |url-status=dead }}</ref> These restrictions (along with some restrictions on male suffrage) were lifted in 1920 after Iceland became an independent state under the Danish crown in 1918.<ref name=":5" /><ref name="styrk" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Benjamin |first1=Gabríel |date=6 March 2015 |title=Icelanders Celebrate The 100 Year Anniversary Of Women's Suffrage |url=https://grapevine.is/culture/2015/03/06/icelanders-celebrate-the-100-year-anniversary-of-womens-suffrage/ |access-date=19 October 2018 |website=The Reykjavik Grapevine}}</ref>
|-
| India
| 1950 | 1950
| 1950 | 1950
| ]
| 1950 | 1950
| 1950
| ]
| All adult citizens as recognized by the ], irrespective of race or gender or religion on the founding of the Republic of India. | All adult citizens as recognized by the ], irrespective of race or gender or religion on the founding of the Republic of India.
|- |-
| Indonesia
| 1955 | 1955
| 1955 | 1955
| 1955 | 1955
| 1955 | 1955
| ]
| |
|- |-
| ? | Iran
| 1963
| 1906 | 1906
| ? | 1963
| ? | 1906
| Under "]". The ] gave ] in 1963.<ref>{{cite web|title=Iran|url=https://www.ndi.org/iran|publisher=The National Democratic Institute|access-date=17 January 2016}}</ref>
| ]
| Under "]" - The white revolution gave women the right to vote in 1963.
|- |-
| ? | Ireland
| 1923
| 1918 | 1918
| 1921 | 1923
| ? | 1793
| The ]{{refn|group=nb|name=RCRA1829}} removed the ] from Catholic men in the ]. All adult men in the ] were enfranchised by the ].<ref name="auto">{{cite web|title=The History of the Parliamentary Franchise|url=http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/RP13-14|publisher=House of Commons Library|access-date=16 March 2016|date=1 March 2013}}</ref> This Act granted women over 30 the right to vote in national elections,{{refn|group=nb|name=RA1832}} but about 60% of women (those under 30 or not meeting property qualifications) were excluded until the ] in the ] changed previous British law to enfranchise women equally with men in 1923.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1923|type=act|number=12|section=1|stitle=Dáil Franchise|name=]}}</ref>
| ]
| Then known as the ], the country changed previous British law to enfranchise women equally with men in 1921.
|- |-
| Israel
| 1948 | 1948
| 1948 | 1948
| 1948 | 1948
| - | 1948
| Universal suffrage since the founding of the State of Israel.
| ]
| Universal suffrage since the founding of the State of Israel.
|- |-
| Italy
| 1945 | 1945
| 1912 | 1912
| 1945 | 1945
| 1912 | 1912
| 1912, introduction of the first universal male suffrage, extended to all citizens aged 30 and older, with no restrictions. It was applied in the elections of 1913.<ref>"The progressive enlargement of suffrage through to 1913 when universal suffrage among males was granted (...) was a true constitutional change, for it transformed an oligarchical constitution into a democratic one": Bernardo Giorgio Mattarella, ''ADMINISTRATIVE LAW IN ITALY: AN HISTORICAL SKETCH (1)'', Riv. trim. dir. pubbl., fasc.4, 2010, pag. 1009.</ref> In 1918 the electorate was expanded with all male citizens aged 21 and older or who had served in the army. Universal adult suffrage, including women, introduced in 1945, and applied for the first time in the ]. Suffrage for men and women aged 18 granted in 1975.
| ]
| 1912 Introduction of the first universal male suffrage, extended to all citizens aged 30 and older, with no restrictions. It was applied in the elections of 1913. In 1918 the electorate was expanded with all male citizens aged 21 and older or who had provided the service in the army. Universal adult suffrage, including women, introduced in 1945. It was applied, for the first time, in the referendum of 1946. The voters had to choose between ] or republic. The voters chose republic. Suffrage for men and women aged 18 granted in 1975.
|- |-
| ? | Jamaica
| ?
| 1944 | 1944
| ? | 1944
| 1944
| ]
| 1944
| Universal adult suffrage introduced
| Universal adult suffrage introduced.
|- |-
| 1946 | Japan
| 1945
| 1925 | 1925
| ]
| 1946
| ? | 1925
| Universal adult male suffrage for those over 25 was introduced in 1925. Universal adult suffrage for both sexes over 20 introduced in 1945. The Voting age was reduced to 18 in 2016.
| ]
| Universal adult male suffrage for those over 25 was introduced in 1925. Universal adult suffrage for both sexes over 20 introduced in 1946.
|- |-
| ? | Kuwait
| 1962
| 2005 | 2005
| ? | 1962
| ] | ]
| 1962
| Universal adult male suffrage since 1962, for citizens who are 21 or older, with the exception of those who, at the time of elections, serve in the armed forces. ''Note: As of 2005, women who satisfy the age and citizenship requirements are allowed to vote.''
| Universal adult male suffrage since 1962, for citizens who are 21 or older, with the exception of those who, at the time of elections, serve in the armed forces. As of 2005, women who satisfy the age and citizenship requirements are allowed to vote.
|- |-
| ? | Latvia
| 1919
| 1919
| 1919
| 1919 | 1919
| Universal suffrage introduced in Law of elections to the Constituent assembly.
| ?
| ?
| ]
| Universal suffrage introduced in Law of elections to the Constituent assembly
|- |-
| Lebanon
| 1943 | 1943
| 1943 | 1943
| 1943 | 1943
| 1943 | 1943
| ]
| Universal suffrage for all adult males and females since the independence of Lebanon (The Chamber of Deputies is shared equally between Christians and Muslims, rather than elected by universal suffrage that would have provided a Muslim majority). | Universal suffrage for all adult males and females since the independence of Lebanon (The Chamber of Deputies is shared equally between Christians and Muslims, rather than elected by universal suffrage that would have provided a Muslim majority).
|- |-
| ? | Liberia
| 1951
| 1946
| 1946
| –
| Liberia denies political rights for non-Black people. See: ]
|-
| Liechtenstein
| 1984 | 1984
| ? | 1921
| ]
| ?
| {{date?}}
| ]
| |
|- |-
| Lithuania
| ?
| 1918<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |title=Lietuvos Valstybės Laikinosios Konstitucijos pamatiniai dėsniai |url=https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/0b9707404f8511e5a4ad9dd3e7d17706?positionInSearchResults=1129&searchModelUUID=dd08725a-2a58-4f73-9c7f-f13bb1e8e5af/ |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=e-seimas.lrs.lt}}</ref>
| 1922
| ? | 1918
| ? | 1918
| 1918
| ]
|2 November 1918, the Council of State of Lithuania approved the Fundamental Laws of the Provisional Constitution of the State of Lithuania. In this Provisional Constitution it said: "All citizens of the State, whatever their sex, nationality, religion or class, are equal before the law.", this implicitly establishes universal suffrage.<ref name=":6" /> Directly universal suffrage was enshrined in the Electoral Law of 30 October 1919.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rinkimų teisė moterims ir moterys 1920–1940 m. Lietuvos Respublikos Seime |url=https://www.lrs.lt/sip/portal.show?p_r=38142&p_k=1 |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=www.lrs.lt |language=lt}}</ref>
|
|- |-
| Luxembourg
| ?
| 1919 | 1919
| ? | 1919
| 1919<ref>{{cite web |title=Right to vote – Luxembourg |date=26 April 2023 |url=https://luxembourg.public.lu/en/society-and-culture/political-system/electoral-system.html |access-date=26 April 2023}}</ref>
| ?
| 1919
| ]
| Universal voting rights introduced in May 1919, first applied in a referendum on 28 September, then the parliamentarian elections on 26 October 1919.
|
|- |-
| Malaysia
| ?
| 1957
| 1956
| 1957
| 1956 | 1956
| ?
| ?
| ]
| |
|- |-
| ? | Malta
| 1947 | 1947
| 1947 | 1947
| ? | 1947
| 1947
| ]
| The ] was the first election without property qualifications for voters, and women were also allowed to vote for the first time | The ] was the first election without property qualifications for voters, and women were also allowed to vote for the first time.
|- |-
| Mauritius
| ?
| ? | 1959
| 1948
| 1947/1953
| ? | 1959
| 1948
| ]
| The ] was the first election when women were also allowed to vote for the first time. The ] was the first instance when any adult who could write their names in any of the island's languages was allowed to vote, without property qualifications for voters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mauritius: History |url=https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/mauritius/history |publisher=The Commonwealth |access-date=28 July 2020 |archive-date=19 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619080933/https://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/mauritius/history |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| Universal suffrage given to men after the Mexican Revolution; suffrage given to women in municipal elections in 1947 and national elections in 1953.<ref></ref> In 1996, Mexicans living in the United States were also given voting rights.<ref></ref>
|- |-
| Mexico
| 1953
| 1917
| ]
| 1917
| Universal suffrage given to men in 1917 after the Mexican Revolution; suffrage given to women in municipal elections in 1947 and national elections in 1953.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thinkfinity.org/2010-10-17_mexican-women-right-to-vote-run-for-office |title=Mexican women were granted the right to run for office and to vote in national elections in 1953. |work= Thinkfinity |access-date=1 April 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20100809083217/http://www.thinkfinity.org/2010-10-17_mexican-women-right-to-vote-run-for-office |archive-date=9 August 2010 }}</ref> In 1996, Mexicans living in the United States were given the right to vote in Mexican elections.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://migration.ucdavis.edu/mn/more.php?id=989_0_2_0|title=Mexico: Voting Rights and Emigration – Migration News &#124; Migration Dialogue|website=migration.ucdavis.edu}}</ref>
|-
| Netherlands
| 1919 | 1919
| 1917 | 1917
| 1919 | 1919
| 1917 | 1917
| ]
| From 1917 full suffrage for men aged 23 and above. From 1919 universal suffrage for men and women aged 23. From 1971 suffrage for men and women aged 18 and older. | From 1917 full suffrage for men aged 23 and above. From 1919 universal suffrage for men and women aged 23. From 1971 suffrage for men and women aged 18 and older.
|- |-
| New Zealand
| 1893 | 1893
| ? | 1879
| ]
| 1893
| ? | 1879
| With the extension of voting rights to women in 1893, the self-governing British colony became one of the first permanently constituted jurisdictions in the world to grant universal adult suffrage,<ref name="Nohlen"/> suffrage previously having been universal for ] men over 21 from 1867, and for white men from 1879.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.elections.org.nz/study/history/maori-vote.html |title=History of the Vote: Māori and the Vote |access-date=9 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429093638/http://www.elections.org.nz/study/history/maori-vote.html |archive-date=29 April 2007 }}</ref> Plural voting (impacting men) was abolished in 1889. Some adult ].
| ]
| With the extension of voting rights to women in 1893, the self-governing British colony became one of the first permanently-constituted jurisdiction in the world to grant universal adult suffrage,<ref name="Nohlen"/> suffrage previously having been universal for ] men over 21 from 1867, and for European males from 1879.<ref></ref>
|- |-
| ? | Norway
| 1913
| 1898 | 1898
| 1913 | 1913
| ? | 1851
| Full male suffrage in 1898, with women included in 1913. Tax-paying Sami men were granted suffrage in a revision of the constitution in 1821.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stortinget.no/no/Stortinget-og-demokratiet/Historikk/Historisk-dokumentasjon/da-samer-fikk-stemmerett/|title=Da samer fikk stemmerett|date=15 May 2018|website=Stortinget|language=no|access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref> The so-called ] in the Constitution of 1814 explicitly banned Jews from entering and residing in the kingdom. It was repealed in 1851, paving the way for Jews to live, pay taxes and vote in Norway.
| ]
| Full male suffrage in 1898, with women included in 1913.
|- |-
| Pakistan
| ?
| 1956 | 1956
| ? | 1951
| ? | 1956
| 1951
| ]
|In 1956, women were granted the right to vote in national elections. Pakistan adopted universal adult suffrage for provisional assembly elections soon after it became independent in 1947. The first direct elections held in the country after independence were for the provincial Assembly of the Punjab from 10 to 20 March 1951.
|-
| Paraguay
| {{date?}}
| {{date?}}
| ]
| {{date?}}
| |
|- |-
| ? | Peru
| 1979
| 1979
| 1979
| 1979 | 1979
|Suffrage was granted for women in 1955 but suffrage for the illiterate was only granted with the 1979 Constitution.
| 1955 or 1979
| ?
| ]
|Suffrage was granted for women in 1955 but suffrage for the illiterate was only granted with the 1979 Constitution
|- |-
| Philippines
| ?
| 1946
| 1935 | 1935
| 1937 | 1937
| ? | 1946
| Males who were over 25 years old and could speak English or Spanish, with property and tax restrictions, were previously allowed to vote as early as 1907; universal male suffrage became a constitutional right in 1935. Women's suffrage was approved in a ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20091112-235872/Suffrage |title=Suffrage |first=Michael |last=Tan |newspaper=] |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=17 January 2013}}</ref>
| ]
| Males who were over 25 years old and can speak English or Spanish, with property and tax restrictions, were previously allowed to vote as early as 1907; universal male suffrage became a constitutional right in 1935. Women's suffrage was approved in an ].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20091112-235872/Suffrage |title=Suffrage |first=Michael |last=Tan |work=] |date=2009-11-12 |accessdate=2013-01-17}}</ref>
|- |-
| Poland
| 1918 | 1918
| 1918 | 1918
| 1918 | 1918
| 1918 | 1918
| Prior to the ] in 1795, only nobility (men) were allowed to take part in political life. The first parliamentary elections were held on 26 January 1919 (]), according to the decree introducing universal suffrage, signed by ] on 28 November 1918, immediately after restoring independent Polish state. Universal suffrage for men and women over 21.
| ]
| Universal suffrage for men and women over 21. Prior to the ] in 1795, only nobility (men) were allowed to take part in political life. The first parliamentary elections were held on 26 January 1919 (]), according to the decree introducing universal suffrage, signed by Jozef Pilsudski on 28 November 1918, immediately after restoring independent Polish state.
|- |-
| Portugal
| 1974
| 1974
| 1974 | 1974
| 1878
| 1931
| 1974 | 1974
| By 1878, 72% of the male adult population had access to vote; this number was restricted by the policies of the last years of the monarchy and first years of the republic (transition in 1910 with the ]), being reinstalled only in the 1920s. Restricted female suffrage was firstly allowed in 1931; it was further extended in 1933, 1946, and finally 1968. Due to the 1933–74 dictatorship of ], universal suffrage was only fully attained after the 1974 ].
| ]
| By 1878, 72% of the male adult population had access to vote; this number was restricted by the policies of the last years of the monarchy and first years of the republic (transition in 1910 with the ]), being reinstalled only in the 1920s. Restricted female suffrage was firstly allowed in 1931; it was further extended in 1933, 1946, and finally 1968. Due to the 1933-1974 dictatorship of ], universal suffrage was only fully attained after the 1974 ].
|- |-
| ? | Qatar
| 1999
| ]
| ? | 1999
| ? | 1999
| {{date?}}
| ]
| Municipal elections since 1999. | Municipal elections are open for active and passive participation for men and women since 1999.
|- |-
| ? | Romania
| 1948
| 1918 | 1918
| ? | 1948
| ? | 1918
| The universal suffrage for men established by Royal Decree in November 1918, the ] took place in November 1919. Literate women were given the right to vote in the local elections in 1929 and the electoral law of 1939 extended the active voting rights to all literate citizens which were 30 years old or older. The universal suffrage was granted by the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.radiooltenia.ro/istoria-votului-in-romania/|title=''Istoria votului în România'' |publisher=Radio Oltenia|author=Octavian Dobrișan|language=ro|date=11 December 2016|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scena9.ro/article/votul-femeilor-in-romania-cronica-unei-lupte|title=''80 de ani de când femeile pot vota în România'' |author=Ionuț Dulămiță, Ionuț Sociu|publisher=Scena 9|language=ro|date=26 March 2018|access-date=29 January 2019}}</ref>
| ]
| With the ]; direct voting and the lifting of some political restrictions not until the ].
|- |-
| ? | Russia
| 1917
| 1917
| 1917
| 1917
| Universal suffrage established by Declaration of the ] of 15 March 1917 and Statute on Elections of the ] of 2 August 1917.<ref>Национальные парламенты мира : энцикл. справ. / А. Х. Саидов; Рос. акад. наук, Ин-т государства и права, </ref>
|-
| Samoa
| 1991
| 1990
| 1991
| 1990 | 1990
| ?
| ?
| ]
| |
|- |-
| Saudi Arabia
| ?
| ? | 2015
| - | 2005
| ? | 2015
| 2005
| ]
| Saudi Arabia is an ] state.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fahim |first1=Kareem |date=27 November 2020 |title=Crackdowns by U.S. allies could test Biden's pledge to promote human rights |newspaper=] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/saudi-egypt-turkey-loujain-demirtas/2020/11/26/f0fb45d0-2fc2-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Kenneth |first1=Pollack M. |date=16 October 2020 |title=The Mysteries of the American-Saudi Alliance |work=] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/16/books/review/vision-or-mirage-david-rundell-blood-and-oil-bradley-hope-justin-scheck.html |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Fields |first1=Jeffrey |date=3 March 2021 |title=Why repressive Saudi Arabia remains a U.S. ally |url=https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/3416/why-repressive-saudi-arabia-remains-a-us-ally/|access-date=19 March 2022 |website=]}}</ref> Men and women have the right to vote for half the seats in "virtually powerless" municipal councils.<ref name="lacey-267">{{cite book |last=Lacey |first=Robert |url=https://archive.org/details/insidekingdomkin00lace_0 |title=Inside the Kingdom: Kings, Clerics, Modernists, Terrorists, and the Struggle for Saudi Arabia |date=2009 |publisher=Viking |isbn=9780670021185 |page= |quote=Abdullah was already the first Saudi ruler to have presided over elections. Admittedly the voting, held in the spring of 2005, was only for local, virtually powerless municipal councils -- and then for only half the seats on those; women were not allowed to stand for office or to vote. But the male electorate got the change to eat large quantities of mutton for three weeks since Saudi electioneering proved to revolve around lamb and tents ... the candidate held court, inviting voters inside and plying them with mountains of rice and whole roasted sheep. |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref name="PTANG">{{cite web |author=Photograph Tasneem Alsultan, National Geographic |title=In a Historic Election, Saudi Women Cast First-Ever Ballots |date=12 December 2015 |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151212-saudi-arabia-election-women-vote/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151217135730/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151212-saudi-arabia-election-women-vote/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 December 2015 |publisher=}}</ref>
|
|-
| Serbia
| 1945
| 1888
| 1945
| 1888
| Suffrage for male voters who paid taxes was granted in the Constitution of 1869, and in the ] of 1888 the right to vote was given to all males of age 21. Women were allowed to vote with the ] constitution of ].
|- |-
| South Africa
| 1994 | 1994
| ? | 1910
| 1931 | 1931
| 1994 | 1994
| White women's suffrage granted in 1930 and suffrage for all white adults regardless of property in 1931. Universal suffrage not regarding race or colour of skin; many blacks and ]s were denied the right to vote before and during the ] era (1948–1994).
| ]
| White women's suffrage granted in 1930 and suffrage for all white adults regardless of property in 1931. Universal suffrage not regarding race or colour of skin; Blacks and ]s were denied the right to vote before and during the ] era (1948–1994).
|- |-
| South Korea
| ?
| 1948 | 1948
| 1948 | 1948
| ? | 1948
| 1948
| ]
| Universal suffrage since the founding of the Republic of Korea. | Universal suffrage since the founding of the Republic of Korea. However, voting was initially limited to landowners and taxpayers in the larger towns, elders voting for everyone at the village level.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cumings|first1=Bruce|title=The Korean War: A History|date=2010|page=111}}</ref>
|- |-
| Spain
| 1933 | 1933
| 1869 | 1812
| 1933 | 1933
| ? | 1869
| The ] enfranchised all Spanish men of Iberian or indigenous American descent in both hemispheres irrespective of property, but explicitly excluded Afrodescendent men.;<ref>{{Cite journal |last=King |first=James F. |date=1953 |title=The Colored Castes and American Representation in the Cortes of Cadiz |journal=The Hispanic American Historical Review |volume=33 |issue=1 |pages=33–64 |doi=10.2307/2509621 |jstor=2509621 |issn=0018-2168}}</ref> nevertheless, the Constitution was repealed with the restoration of ] in 1814.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.congreso.es/es/cem/const1812|title=Constituciones Españolas 1812 - 1978}}</ref>
| ]
| Suffrage for men practiced from 1869 to 1923 and in the Second Spanish Republic (1931–1936). On November 19, 1933 women were granted the right to vote. Revoked during Franco era (1939–1975) and recovered since 1977 in the new Spanish Constitution. Recovered and extended to all men from 1869 to 1878 (comprising the ], the ], the ] and the three first years of ]) and from 1890 to the end of the ] (1931–36).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/1704411.pdf|title=El sufragio universal en Espana (1890–1936)|access-date=5 December 2019}}</ref> On 19 November 1933 women were granted the right to vote. Revoked during Franco era (1939–75) and ] in the new Spanish Constitution.
|- |-
| Sri Lanka
| 1931 | 1931
| 1910
| 1931 | 1931
| ]
| 1910
| 1931
| ]
| Universal suffrage for all irrespective of race, ethnicity, language, or gender. | Universal suffrage for all irrespective of race, ethnicity, language, or gender. Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in Asia.
|- |-
| 1919 | Sweden
| 1945
| 1909 | 1909
| ]
| 1919
| ? | 1873
| During the years 1718–72 burgher men and women of age and with income were able to elect members of parliament, but women's suffrage was abolished in 1772. Jews were given the right to vote in 1838, but not given the right to stand for election until 1870. Catholics were given the right to vote in 1873, but not given the right to be eligible as cabinet minister until 1951. Full{{discuss|section=Sweden|text=Incorrect – discuss}} male suffrage 1909 for those aged 25 and above, but only to one of two equally weighed houses of parliament. Universal suffrage for men and women aged 23 enacted in 1919,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.riksdagen.se/templates/R_Page____11568.aspx|title=Sveriges Riksdag: Kampen för rösträtt}}</ref> and the first election took place in 1921. Until 1924 men who refused to do military service were excepted from universal suffrage. Until 1937 courts were able to punish crimes by revoking a convict's right to vote. Until 1945 persons living on benefits were excepted from universal suffrage. Voting age changed to 21 in 1945, to 20 in 1965, to 19 in 1969 and to 18 in 1975.
| ]
| Full{{discuss|section=Sweden|text=Incorrect - discuss}} male suffrage 1909 for those aged 25 and above, but only to one of two equally weighed chambers. Universal suffrage for men and women later enacted.<ref></ref>
|- |-
| Switzerland
| ?
| 1848 | 1990
| 1848
| 1971 or 1990
| ]
| ?
| 1866
| ]
| In the short-lived ] (1798–1803) men above the age of 20 had the right to vote. At the formation of today's ] in 1848, Switzerland reintroduced universal male suffrage, but Jews did not have the same political rights as Christian citizens until 1866.
| At the formation of the federal state and with the Constitution of 1848, Switzerland became the first modern state to introduce universal male suffrage; this has continued unbroken since its adoption. Women's suffrage was introduced, by (male) referendum, for federal elections in 1971, but for ] elections, the last canton to introduce women's suffrage (]) had to do so by supreme court order in 1990.

|-
] was introduced at the national level after ] in 1971, but the referendum did not give women the right to vote at the cantonal level.
| ?

| 1947
Among the constituent states of the ], universal male suffrage is first attested in ] in 1231, in ] in 1294, in ] in 1309, and in ] in 1403. In these rural communities all men fit for military service were allowed to participate in the ], which managed political and judicial affairs.
| 1947

| ?
Women gained the right to vote in cantonal elections and referendums in the following years:
| ]
* 1959: Vaud, Neuchâtel
| Universal suffrage under the ]
* 1960: Genève
* 1966: Basel-Stadt
* 1968: Basel-Land
* 1969: Ticino
* 1970: Valais, Luzern, Zürich.
* 1971: Aargau, Fribourg, Schaffhausen, Zug, Glarus, Solothurn, Bern, Thurgau.
* 1972: St. Gallen, Uri, Schwyz, Graubünden, Nidwalden, Obwalden.

Appenzell Ausserrhoden only allowed women to vote in 1989, and the women of ] had to wait until 1990, when a ruling of the Federal Court forced the canton to let women participate in the Landsgemeinde.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Von Wyl |first1=Benjamin |title=Appenzell Inner Rhodes: the last Swiss canton to give women the vote |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/a-visit-to-appenzell-inner-rhodes--the-last-canton-to-grant-women-the-right-to-vote-in-switzerland-/46328984 |website=Swissinfo.ch |date=2 February 2021}}</ref><ref name=Appenzell />
|- |-
| Thailand
| 1933 | 1933
| 1933 | 1933
| 1933 | 1933
| 1933 | 1933
| Thailand gave all villagers, men and women, the right to vote in local village elections in the "Local Administrative Act of May 1897" but not nationally.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bowie |first1=Katherine |title=Women's Suffrage in Thailand: A Southeast Asian Historiographical Challenge |journal=Comparative Studies in Society and History |date=n.d. |volume=52 |issue=4 |pages=708–741 |doi=10.1017/S0010417510000435 |doi-access=free }}</ref> Universal suffrage for national elections was granted during the first general election in 1933.
| ]
| Universal suffrage for all since the first general election in 1933.
|- |-
| Tunisia
| 1959 | 1959
| ? | {{date?}}
| ? | 1957
| ? | {{date?}}
| Universal suffrage for all since the first post-independence ]
| ]
| Universal suffrage for all since the first post-indepdence ]
|- |-
| ? | Turkey
| 1878
| 1934 | 1934
| ? | 1876
| 1934
| ]
| 1876
| |
|- |-
| United Arab Emirates
| 1972
| –
| 2006
| 2006
| 2006
| Limited suffrage for both men and women. A hand-picked 12% of ] have the right to vote for half the members of the ], an advisory quasi-parliamentary body.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Coles |first=Isabel |date=2011-08-21 |title=UAE elections: what substance behind the gloss? |work=Reuters |url=https://jp.reuters.com/article/us-emirates-elections-idUSTRE77K0Z220110821 |access-date=2021-05-26}}</ref> The UAE is an authoritarian state.<ref name=":23">{{Cite journal |last=Herb |first=Michael |date=2009 |title=A Nation of Bureaucrats: Political Participation and Economic Diversification in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-middle-east-studies/article/abs/nation-of-bureaucrats-political-participation-and-economic-diversification-in-kuwait-and-the-united-arab-emirates/E3527822940D0E8A2BCD98A320002C3E |journal=International Journal of Middle East Studies |language=en |volume=41 |issue=3 |pages=375–395 |doi=10.1017/S0020743809091119 |issn=1471-6380 |s2cid=154366494}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Ledstrup |first=Martin |date=2019 |title=Nationalism and Nationhood in the United Arab Emirates |url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-91653-8 |publisher=Palgrave |language=en-gb |pages=10 |doi=10.1007/978-3-319-91653-8 |isbn=978-3-319-91652-1 |s2cid=158959849}}</ref>
|-
| ]
| 1928
| 1918 | 1918
| ]
| 1918 or 1928
| 1972 | 1791
| The ] removed the dependence of voting rights ]{{refn|group=nb|name=RCRA1829|the ] reflects eligibility for office, not the eligibility to vote.}} in the ]. The right to vote has never since been based on race or religion.{{refn|group=nb|While ] was one of the factors which led to ],<ref>{{cite book |title=A History of the Ulster Unionist Party: Protest, Pragmatism and Pessimism (Manchester Studies in Modern History) |first=Graham |last=Walker |date=4 September 2004 |isbn=978-0-7190-6109-7 |page=162|publisher=Manchester University Press }}</ref> parliamentary elections still took place for all British citizens. In 1972 the British Parliament was unwilling to grant the mostly Protestant unionist Northern Ireland government more authoritarian special powers since it was now convinced of its inability to restore order. So they ] and made provision for ] by the elected government of the United Kingdom.}}
| ]

| The United Kingdom legally ] from 1829. However, in reality many Catholics in Northern Ireland were disenfranchised by a rigged system of property requirements and gerrymandering until the ]. Suffrage for all men in 1918 (in national elections). Women granted vote for first time in the same year but about 25% of women (those under 30) were excluded on grounds of age until 1928, granting women the vote on the same terms as men.<ref>Peter N. Stearns (2008). "The Oxford encyclopedia of the modern world, Volume 7". p.160. Oxford University Press, 2008</ref> The ] removed multiple voting (i.e. established one person, one vote) and extended suffrage to local elections (apart from Northern Ireland where the situation was brought in line in 1968.)
All adult men in the ] were enfranchised by the ].<ref name="auto"/> This Act granted women over 30 the right to vote in national elections,{{refn|group=nb|name=RA1832|Until the ] specified "male persons", a few women had been able to vote in parliamentary elections through property ownership, although this was rare.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Heater|first1=Derek|title=Citizenship in Britain: A History|date=2006|publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=9780748626724|page=107|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=js-qBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA107|chapter=Emergence of Radicalism}}</ref> In local government elections, women lost the right to vote under the ]. Unmarried women ]s received the right to vote in the Municipal Franchise Act 1869. This right was confirmed in the ] and extended to include some married women.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Heater|first1=Derek|title=Citizenship in Britain: A History|date=2006|publisher=Edinburgh University Press |isbn=9780748626724|page=136|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=js-qBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA136|chapter=Emergence of Radicalism}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Women's rights|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/citizenship/brave_new_world/women.htm|publisher=The National Archives|access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Which Act Gave Women the Right to Vote in Britain?|url=http://classroom.synonym.com/act-gave-women-right-vote-britain-5469.html|website=Synonym|access-date=11 February 2015}}</ref> By 1900, over 1 million women were registered for local government elections in England.<ref name=HoCL2013>{{citation|title=The History of the Parliamentary Franchise|chapter-url=http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/RP13-14|publisher=House of Commons Library|access-date=16 March 2016|date=1 March 2013|pages=37–39|chapter=Female Suffrage before 1918}}</ref>}} but about 60% of women (those under 30 or not meeting property qualifications) were excluded until the ], when women were granted the vote on the same terms as men in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.<ref>Peter N. Stearns (2008). "The Oxford encyclopedia of the modern world, Volume 7". p. 160. Oxford University Press, 2008</ref>

The ] removed ] rights held by about 7% of the electorate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/general-election-2017-magna-carta-universal-suffrage-1000-year/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/general-election-2017-magna-carta-universal-suffrage-1000-year/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=From Magna Carta to universal suffrage, the 1000-year history of British democracy|date=18 April 2017|work=The Telegraph|access-date=19 January 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Graduates of universities lost the right to vote in ] as well as ]s and property owners lost the right to vote both in the constituency where their property lay and that in which they lived, if the two were different. For elections to the ], these changes were made under the Electoral Law Act 1968.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/apni/1968/20/introduction|title=Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1968|website=www.legislation.gov.uk|access-date=19 January 2018}}</ref>}}

The ] reduced the voting age from 21 to 18, the first major democratic country to do so.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bingham |first=Adrian |date=25 June 2019 |title='The last milestone' on the journey to full adult suffrage? 50 years of debates about the voting age |url=https://www.historyandpolicy.org/index.php/policy-papers/papers/the-last-milestone-on-the-journey-to-full-adult-suffrage |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=History & Policy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Loughran |first1=Thomas |last2=Mycock |first2=Andrew |last3=Tonge |first3=Jonathan |date=2021-11-03 |title=Lowering the voting age: three lessons from the 1969 Representation of the People's Act |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/lessons-from-the-1969-representation-of-the-peoples-act/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=British Politics and Policy at LSE}}</ref>

As of 2019, 529,902 ]s <small>(] in ] and ] in ])</small> are represented in local legislatures in their territories but not in the ], unless they are resident in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{Cite report|last=House of Commons Library|date=6 March 2021|title=Who can vote in UK elections?|url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-8985/|language=en-GB}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|Most of the ] and all of the ] have a local representative government, although ultimate authority still resides in Westminster. Legislation has been proposed in past to create parliamentary districts for the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies, though as of 2020 no bill has been put forward by the British government<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2020/11/18/proposed-uk-overseas-territories-mp-bill-a-no-go/|title=Proposed UK Overseas Territories MP bill a no-go|first=Reshma|last=Ragoonath|date=18 November 2020|website=Cayman Compass}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://bernews.com/2012/01/call-for-island-to-be-represented-in-uk |title=Island Should Be Represented In UK |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=13 January 2012 |website=BERNEWS |access-date=2 June 2021 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://bvinews.com/having-reps-in-british-parliament-could-help-the-bvi/ |title=Having reps in British parliament could help the BVI |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=25 November 2020 |website=BVI News |publisher=BVI News, Media Expressions Limited |access-date=2 June 2021 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199900/cmbills/140/00140--a.htm |title=Representation of Overseas Territories Bill. |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=15 June 2000 |website=Parliament of the United Kingdom (Session 1999–2000 of the House of Commons) |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |access-date=2 June 2021 |quote=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-06-19/debates/A0942369-590A-4AD5-BA57-81E07913B8DD/RepresentationOfThePeople(Gibraltar)?highlight=representation%20overseas%20territories%20bill#contribution-D85F8774-137E-4869-B18F-DA6C6DAD3F45 |title=Representation of the People (Gibraltar), Volume 643: debated on Tuesday 19 June 2018 |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=HANSARD (House of Commons Chamber) |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |quote=}}</ref> ] has changed over the years has redefined who has the birthright to live and work in the UK. In ] and ], as a result of fears about increasing immigration by non-white British citizens, the UK Government introduced immigration restrictions and stripped birthrights on British subjects from some British Overseas Territories. The current principal British nationality law in force, since 1 January 1983, is the ], which established the system of multiple categories of British nationality.}}
|- |-
| United Nations
| 1948 | 1948
| 1948 | 1948
| 1948 | 1948
| 1948 | 1948
| ]
| Provision of "universal and equal suffrage" in ] | Provision of "universal and equal suffrage" in ]
|- |-
| ]
| 1965<ref name="Giles v. Harris 1903">While constitutionally given the right to vote by the ]. The reality of the country was such that most African Americans could not vote until the passage of the ]. Starting in 1888 Southern states legalized disenfranchisement by enacting Jim Crow laws; they amended their constitutions and passed legislation to impose various voting restrictions, including literacy tests, poll taxes, property-ownership requirements, moral character tests, requirements that applicants interpret a particular document, and grandfather clauses that allowed otherwise-ineligible persons to vote if their grandfathers voted (which excluded many African-Americans whose grandfathers had been ineligible). During this period, the Supreme Court generally upheld state efforts to discriminate against racial minorities. In Giles v. Harris (1903), the Court held that irrespective of the ], the judiciary did not have the remedial power to force states to register racial minorities to vote.</ref>
| 1868<ref>1828 was the first election in which non-property holding white males could vote in the vast majority of states, but this was not not consistent across the country. 1868 the ] gave all white male citizens the right to vote; but many black citizens could only vote in 1870, after the ] granted suffrage, David Quigley, Acts of Enforcement: The New York City Election of 1870, in: New York History (2002).</ref> | 1965{{refn|group=nb|name=VRA1965|While constitutionally given the right to vote by the ] in 1870 and ] in 1920, the reality of the country was such that most African Americans and some poor whites could not vote until the passage of the ].
| 1920<ref>]</ref>
| ] in 1924,<ref>in 1924 the ] gave Native Americans the right to vote and officially recognized them as citizens</ref> ] and others in 1965<ref name="Giles v. Harris 1903"/>
| ]
| In the colonial era, there had been various restrictions on suffrage in what is today the United States. Property restrictions on voting disenfranchised more than half of the white male population in most states. After the American revolution, voting rights expanded to include more of the population.

Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky were the three states to have full adult suffrage for white males before 1800. New Jersey allowed women's suffrage for landowners until the early 1800s.

By 1830, the vast majority of states, including all states in the West, had universal male suffrage, regardless of property ownership or class. Poor voters become a huge part of the electorate. In the 1820 election, there were 108,359 ballots cast. In the 1840 election, 2,412,694 ballots were cast, an increase that far outstripped natural population growth. There were few nations in the world that had a similar level of suffrage for white males at this time.

In 1868 the ] set the groundwork for universal male suffrage. It gave all men 21 and above the right to vote by penalizing states that restricted male adult suffrage.


Starting in 1888 ] by enacting ]; they amended their constitutions and passed legislation to impose various voting restrictions, including literacy tests, poll taxes, property-ownership requirements, moral character tests, requirements that applicants interpret a particular document, and grandfather clauses that allowed otherwise-ineligible persons to vote if their grandfathers voted (which excluded many African Americans whose grandfathers had been ineligible). During this period, the ] generally upheld state efforts to discriminate against racial minorities. In Giles v. Harris (1903), the Court held that irrespective of the Fifteenth Amendment, the judiciary did not have the remedial power to force states to register racial minorities to vote. The ] in 1924 gave Native Americans the right to vote and officially recognized them as citizens, nearly two-thirds of whom already had citizenship and the right to vote. In 1943 Chinese immigrants were given the right to citizenship and the right to vote by the ]. African Americans and others gained full enfranchisement through passage of the ].}}
In 1870, the ] granted suffrage to all males of any race, skin color, and ethnicity, including former slaves (freedmen), meaning that African Americans could vote throughout the United States.<ref>David Quigley, Acts of Enforcement: The New York City Election of 1870, in: New York History (2002).</ref>
| 1856{{refn|group=nb|The ] was the first in which non-property-holding white males could vote in the vast majority of states, but this was not consistent across the country until the last state, North Carolina, abolished property qualification in 1856 resulting in a close approximation to universal white male suffrage (however tax-paying requirements remained in five states in 1860 and survived in two states until the 20th century). The ] in 1868 altered the way each state is represented in the ]. It counted all residents for apportionment including slaves, overriding the ], and reduced a state's apportionment if it wrongfully denied males over the age of 21 the right to vote; however, this was not enforced in practice. Some poor white men remained excluded at least until 1965.<ref name=Scher2015>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=POzqBgAAQBAJ&pg=PR9|title=The Politics of Disenfranchisement: Why is it So Hard to Vote in America?|last=Scher|first=Richard K.|date=2015|page=viii–ix|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317455363}}</ref><ref name=NHLTS2009>{{Cite web |date=2009|title=Civil Rights in America: Racial Voting Rights: A National Historic Landmarks Theme Study |url=https://www.nps.gov/nhl/learn/themes/CivilRights_VotingRights.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702010008/https://www.nps.gov/nhl/learn/themes/CivilRights_VotingRights.pdf |archive-date=2015-07-02 |website=National Park Service}}</ref> For state elections, it was not until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in '']'' (1966) that all state poll taxes were unconstitutional as violating the ] of the Fourteenth Amendment. This removed a burden on the poor.}}

| ]{{refn|group=nb|] in 1920 prohibited any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex, but most African-American women some poor white women remained excluded at least until 1965.<ref name=Scher2015/><ref name=NHLTS2009/> For state elections, it was not until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in '']'' (1966) that all state poll taxes were unconstitutional as violating the ] of the Fourteenth Amendment. This removed a burden on the poor.}}
At the turn of the 20th century, former Confederate states passed laws and amendments to effectively ] black voters through ]es, ], ] and other restrictions, applied in a discriminatory manner. These were later ruled unconstitutional. Blacks in the Northern states could vote, but the majority of African Americans lived in the South.
| ]{{refn|group=nb|name=VRA1965}}

|
Wyoming was the first territory to enfranchise all women in 1869. From then until 1916, all Western states legalized women suffrage, but few Eastern states followed suit. However, in 1920 the ] extended the franchise to women in all states.<ref>Ashlyn K. Kuersten (2003). ''Women and the Law: Leaders, Cases, and Documents''. p. 13. ABC-CLIO, 2003</ref> in 1924 the ] gave native Americans the right to vote.
* In the colonial era, there had been various restrictions on suffrage in what is today the United States. Property restrictions on voting disenfranchised more than half of the ] male population in most states.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Voting in Early America|journal=Colonial Williamsburg|volume=Spring 2007|url=http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/spring07/elections.cfm|access-date=21 April 2015}}</ref>

* After the American Revolution, the ] did not originally define who was eligible to vote, allowing each state to determine who was eligible. In the early history of the U.S., most states allowed only white male adult property owners to vote (about 6% of the population).<ref>{{cite web|title=Expansion of Rights and Liberties – The Right of Suffrage|url=https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_of_freedom_13.html|website=Online Exhibit: The Charters of Freedom|publisher=National Archives|access-date=21 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706144856/http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters_of_freedom_13.html|archive-date=6 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first1=Kenneth|last1=Janda|first2=Jeffrey M.|last2=Berry|first3=Jerry|last3=Goldman|title=The challenge of democracy: government in America|date=2008|publisher=Houghton Mifflin|isbn=9780618990948|page=207|edition=9. ed., update|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VQ_iZMofnl0C&pg=PA207|postscript=none}}; {{cite book|last1=Murrin|first1=John M.|last2=Johnson|first2=Paul E.|last3=McPherson|first3=James M.|last4=Fahs|first4=Alice|last5=Gerstle|first5=Gary|title=Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People|date=2012|publisher=Wadsworth, Cengage Learning|isbn=9780495904991|page=296|edition=6th|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FGSQOiy6uZUC&pg=PT337}}</ref> Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky were the three states to have full adult suffrage for white males before 1800. New Jersey allowed women's suffrage for landowners until the early 1800s.
1964, the ], which abolished the use of poll taxes, was passed.<ref> U.S. National Archives.</ref><ref> Time.</ref> Full enfranchisement was revived in 1965, with the passage of the ], which provided for federal enforcement of rights.
* In the ], there were 108,359 ballots cast. In the ], 2,412,694 ballots were cast, an increase that far outstripped natural population growth. Poor voters became a huge part of the electorate. By 1856, after the period of ], all states had almost universal white adult male suffrage regardless of property ownership. Tax-paying requirements remained in five states, and two into the 20th century.<ref name="NBER2005">{{cite web |author1=Stanley L. Engerman |author2=Kenneth L. Sokoloff |title=The Evolution of Suffrage Institutions in the New World |website=Yale University |date=February 2005|url=http://economics.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Workshops-Seminars/Economic-History/sokoloff-050406.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310102314/http://economics.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Workshops-Seminars/Economic-History/sokoloff-050406.pdf |archive-date=2016-03-10 |pages=16, 35|quote=By 1840, only three states retained a property qualification, North Carolina (for some state-wide offices only), Rhode Island, and Virginia. In 1856 North Carolina was the last state to end the practice. Tax-paying qualifications were also gone in all but a few states by the Civil War, but they survived into the 20th century in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Voting Rights|url=http://www.infoplease.com/timelines/voting.html|publisher=Infoplease|access-date=21 April 2015}}</ref>
* In 1868, the ] altered the way each state is represented in the ]. It counted all residents for apportionment including former slaves, overriding the ], and reduced a state's apportionment if it wrongfully denied men aged 21 and above the right to vote. However, this was not enforced in practice. In 1870, the ] granted suffrage to all males of any race, skin color, and ethnicity, including former slaves (freedmen), meaning that male African Americans in theory had the right to vote throughout the United States.<ref>David Quigley, Acts of Enforcement: The New York City Election of 1870, in: New York History (2002).</ref>
* Starting in 1888, former Confederate states passed ] and amendments to effectively ] black and poor white voters through ]es, ], ] and other restrictions, applied in a discriminatory manner. During this period, the ] generally upheld state efforts to discriminate against racial minorities; only later in the 20th century were these laws ruled unconstitutional. Black males in the Northern states could vote, but the majority of African Americans lived in the South.<ref name=":22">{{Cite book|last1=Schultz|first1=Jeffrey D.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sfmPmrL0N3kC&pg=PA528|title=Encyclopedia of Minorities in American Politics: Hispanic Americans and Native Americans|last2=Aoki|first2=Andrew L.|last3=Haynie|first3=Kerry L.|last4=McCulloch|first4=Anne M.|date=2000|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-57356-149-5|location=|pages=528|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite book|last=Scher|first=Richard K.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=POzqBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA13|title=The Politics of Disenfranchisement: Why is it So Hard to Vote in America?|date=4 March 2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-45536-3|location=|pages=13|language=en}}</ref>
* Wyoming was the first territory to enfranchise all women in 1869. From then until 1916, all Western states legalized women suffrage, but few Eastern states followed suit. However, in 1920 the ] extended the franchise to women in all states.<ref>Ashlyn K. Kuersten (2003). ''Women and the Law: Leaders, Cases, and Documents''. p. 13. ABC-CLIO, 2003</ref>
* In 1924 the ] gave suffrage to all Native Americans, nearly two-thirds of whom already had citizenship and the right to vote.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Madsen|editor1-first=Deborah L.|title=The Routledge Companion to Native American Literature|date=2015|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1317693192|page=168|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-AapCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA168}}</ref>
* In 1943 Chinese immigrants were given the right to citizenship and the right to vote by the ]. It allowed some Chinese immigration for the first time since the ] of 1882, and permitted some Chinese immigrants already residing in the country to become ].
* In 1962–1964, the nationwide "]" electoral system was lawfully established mainly through the ]'s rulings in ''] (1962), ] (1964),'' as well as ''] (1964).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theconstitutionproject.com/portfolio/one-person-one-vote/|title=One Person, One Vote {{!}} The Constitution Project|website=www.theconstitutionproject.com|access-date=24 September 2019}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/one-person-one-vote-a-history/399476/|title=The Case That Could Bring Down 'One Person, One Vote'|last=Smith|first=J. Douglas|date=26 July 2015|website=The Atlantic|language=en-US|access-date=24 September 2019}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/21/nyregion/one-man-one-vote-decades-of-court-decisions.html|title=One Man, One Vote: Decades of Court Decisions|last=Goldman|first=Ari L.|date=21 November 1986|work=The New York Times|access-date=24 September 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>''
* In 1964–1965, the ], which abolished the use of poll taxes as a requirement for voting in federal elections, was passed.<ref> U.S. National Archives.</ref><ref> Time.</ref> Full enfranchisement was revived in 1965, with the passage of ] and ], which provided for federal enforcement of rights.<ref name=":3" /> For state elections, it was not until the ] ruled 6–3 in '']'' (1966) that all state poll taxes were unconstitutional as violating the ] of the Fourteenth Amendment.<ref name=":4" /> This removed a burden on the poor.<ref name="Scher2015" /><ref name="NHLTS2009" />
* In 1971, the ] ratified, which granted suffrage for men and women aged 18.
* Currently 4 million American citizens living in the ] do not have representation in the ] and the ].
|- |-
| ? | Uruguay
| 1918 | 1918
| ? | {{date?}}
| ]
| ?
| {{date?}}
| ]
| With the 1918 Uruguayan Constitution. | With the 1918 Uruguayan Constitution.
|- |-
| Venezuela
| 1987
| ? | {{date?}}
| {{date?}}
| 1978
| ]
| 1987
| {{date?}}
| ]
|
| Universal suffrage was introduced in the 1978 Internal Settlement between Ian Smith and Abel Muzorewa. The 1979 Lancaster House constitution agreed to accommodate the nationalists also affirmed universal suffrage but with a special role for whites. Universal suffrage with no special consideration for race came in 1987. Before 1978, Rhodesia (the name for the region that would become Zimbabwe in 1980) had a merit qualification in order to vote. This was controversial because it excluded the vast majority of native Africans.
|-
| Zimbabwe
| 1979
| {{date?}}
| 1919
| 1979
| Universal suffrage was introduced in the 1978 Internal Settlement between Ian Smith and Abel Muzorewa. The 1979 Lancaster House constitution agreed to accommodate the nationalists and also affirmed universal suffrage but with a special role for whites. Universal suffrage with no special consideration for race came in 1987. Before 1978, Rhodesia (the name for the region that would become Zimbabwe in 1980) had a merit qualification to vote. This was controversial because it excluded the vast majority of native Africans. Though white women were granted the right to vote in 1919.
|} |}

==Women's suffrage==
{{main|Women's suffrage}}
The first ] was granted in ] in 1755 and lasted until 1769.<ref name="Kulinski">A. Kulinski, K. Pawlowski. "The Atlantic Community - The Titanic of the XXI Century". p.96. WSB-NLU. 2010</ref>

Women's suffrage (with the same property qualifications as for men) was next granted in ] in 1776 (the word "inhabitants" was used instead of "men") and rescinded in 1807.

The ] granted restricted women's suffrage in 1838. Various other countries and states granted restricted women's suffrage in the later half of the nineteenth century, starting with ] in 1861.

The first unrestricted women's suffrage in a major country was granted ] in 1893.<ref name="Nohlen">] (2001). "Elections in Asia and the Pacific: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific". p.14. Oxford University Press, 2001</ref> The women's suffrage bill was adopted mere weeks before the ] of 1893. Māori men had been granted suffrage in 1867, white men in 1879. The '']'' index lists New Zealand as the only free country in the world in 1893.<ref name="Kulinski"/>

] first granted women suffrage and allowed them to stand for parliament in 1894.

The autonomous ], a decade before becoming the republic of Finland, was the first European country to introduce female suffrage in 1906. It was also the second country to allow female candidates and the first to actually elect female MP's in 1907.

In 1931, the ] allowed women the right of ] with three women being elected.
During the discussion to extend their right to active suffrage, the Radical Socialist ] confronted the Radical ]. Kent argued that Spanish women were not yet prepared to vote and, since they were too influenced by the ] they would vote for right-wing candidates. Campoamor however pleaded for women's rights regardless of political orientation. Her point finally prevailed and, in the election of 1933, the political right won with the vote of citizens of any sex over 23. Both Campoamor and Kent lost their seats.

==Youth suffrage, children's suffrage and suffrage in school==
: ''Main article: ]''

] practice and support universal suffrage in school, which allows a vote to every member of the school, including students and staff. Such schools hold that this feature is essential for students to be ready to move into society at large.<ref>Greenberg, D. (1987) The Sudbury Valley School Experience, Retrieved February 21, 2010.</ref><ref>Greenberg, D. (1987) The Sudbury Valley School Experience . Retrieved February 21, 2010.</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
* ]
{{wiktionary}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ] * ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ] * ]
* ]
** ]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=nb}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist|2}} {{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

* Duong, Kevin (2020). "What Was Universal Suffrage?". ''Theory & Event''. '''23''' (1): 29–65.


==External links== ==External links==
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Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the "one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion of the young and non-citizens (among others). At the same time, some insist that more inclusion is needed before suffrage can be truly universal. Democratic theorists, especially those hoping to achieve more universal suffrage, support presumptive inclusion, where the legal system would protect the voting rights of all subjects unless the government can clearly prove that disenfranchisement is necessary. Universal full suffrage includes both the right to vote, also called active suffrage, and the right to be elected, also called passive suffrage.

History

Voting is an important part of the formal democratic process.
The European Parliament is the only international organ elected with universal suffrage (since 1979).

In the first modern democracies, governments restricted the vote to those with property and wealth, which almost always meant a minority of the male population. In some jurisdictions, other restrictions existed, such as requiring voters to practice a given religion. In all modern democracies, the number of people who could vote has increased progressively with time. The 19th century saw many movements advocating "universal suffrage", most notably in Europe and North America. Female suffrage was largely ignored until the latter half of the century, when movements began to thrive; the first of these was in New Zealand, in which all adult women of all ethnicities gained the right to vote in 1893. A year later, South Australia granted all citizens the right to vote and stand for election, making it the first place in the world where women could stand as candidates for election to parliament. From there, this groundbreaking reform set a precedent for broader suffrage rights worldwide. However, voting rights were often limited to those of the dominant ethnicity.

In the United States, after the principle of "One person, one vote" was established in the early 1960s by the U.S. Supreme Court under Earl Warren, the U.S. Congress, together with the Warren Court, continued to protect and expand the voting rights of all Americans, especially African Americans, through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965 and several Supreme Court rulings. In addition, the term "suffrage" is also associated specifically with women's suffrage in the United States; a movement to extend the franchise to women began in the mid-19th century and culminated in 1920, when the United States ratified the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing the right of women to vote. It would be 1928 before voting rights were guaranteed to all women in the UK.

In more detail

France, under the 1793 Jacobin constitution, was the first major country to enact suffrage for all adult males, though it was never formally used in practice (the constitution was immediately suspended before being implemented, and the subsequent election occurred in 1795 after the fall of the Jacobin government in 1794 discredited most ideas associated with them, including that constitution). Elsewhere in the Francophone world, the Republic of Haiti legislated for universal male suffrage in 1816. The Second French Republic instituted adult male suffrage after the revolution of 1848.

Following the French revolutions, movements in the Western world toward more universal suffrage occurred in the early 19th century, and focused on removing property requirements for voting. In 1867 Germany (the North German Confederation) enacted suffrage for all adult males. In the United States following the American Civil War, slaves were freed and granted rights of citizens, including suffrage for adult males (although several states established restrictions largely, though not completely, diminishing these rights). In the late-19th and early-20th centuries, the focus of the universal suffrage movement came to include the extension of the right to vote to women, as happened from the post-Civil War era in several Western states and during the 1890s in a number of British colonies.

On 19 September 1893 the British Governor of New Zealand, Lord Glasgow, gave assent to a new electoral act, which meant that New Zealand became the first British-controlled colony in which women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections. This was followed shortly after by the colony of South Australia in 1894, which was the second to allow women to vote, but the first colony to permit women to stand for election as well. In 1906, the autonomous Russian territory known as Grand Duchy of Finland (which became the Republic of Finland in 1917) became the first territory in the world to implement unrestricted universal suffrage, as women could stand as candidates, unlike in New Zealand, and without indigenous ethnic exclusion, like in Australia. It also lead to the election of the world's first female members of parliament the following year. Federal states and colonial or autonomous territories prior to World War I have multiple examples of early introduction of universal suffrage. However, these legal changes were effected with the permission of the British, Russian or other government bodies, which were considered the sovereign nation at the time. For this reason, Australia (1901), New Zealand (1908) and Finland (1917) all have different dates of achieving independent nationhood.

Satirical drawing by Touchatout depicting the birth of universal suffrage, "one of the most sacred rights of Man, born in France on 24 february 1848."

The First French Republic adopted universal male suffrage briefly in 1792; it was one of the first national systems that abolished all property requirements as a prerequisite for allowing men to register and vote. Greece recognized full male suffrage in 1844. Spain recognized it in the Constitution of 1869 and France and Switzerland have continuously done so since the 1848 Revolution (for resident male citizens). Upon independence in the 19th century, several Latin-American countries and Liberia in Africa initially extended suffrage to all adult males, but subsequently restricted it based on property requirements. The German Empire implemented full male suffrage in 1871.

In the United States, the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, ratified in 1870 during the Reconstruction era, provided that "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This amendment aimed to guarantee the right to vote to African Americans, many of whom had been enslaved in the South prior to the end (1865) of the American Civil War and the 1864–1865 abolition of slavery. Despite the amendment, however, blacks were disfranchised in the former Confederate states after 1877; Southern officials ignored the amendment and blocked black citizens from voting through a variety of devices, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses; violence and terrorism were used to intimidate some would-be voters. Southern blacks did not effectively receive the right to vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

In 1893 the self-governing colony New Zealand became the first country in the world (except for the short-lived 18th-century Corsican Republic) to grant active universal suffrage by giving women the right to vote. It did not grant universal full suffrage (the right to both vote and be a candidate, or both active and passive suffrage) until 1919.

In 1902, the Commonwealth of Australia became the first country to grant full suffrage for women, i.e. the rights both to vote and to run for office. However, Australia did not implement universal suffrage at this time – nationwide voting rights for Aboriginal Australians were not established until 1962, before that varying by state.

Many societies in the past have denied or abridged political representation on the basis of race or ethnicity, related to discriminatory ideas about citizenship. For example, in apartheid-era South Africa, non-White people could generally not vote in national elections until the first multi-party elections in 1994. However, a nonracial franchise existed under the Cape Qualified Franchise, which was replaced by a number of separate MPs in 1936 (Blacks) and 1958 (Coloureds). Later, the Tricameral Parliament established separate chambers for Whites, Coloureds and Indians. Rhodesia enacted a similar statute to the former in its proclaimed independence of 1965, which however allowed a smaller number of representatives for the considerably larger Black majority (under its 1961 constitution, the voting classes had been based on socio-economic standards, which marginalized most Black and a few White voters to a separate set of constituencies, under the principle of weighted voting; this was replaced in 1969 by an explicitly racial franchise, with delegated all Blacks to the 'B' voters roll).

Women's suffrage

Main article: Women's suffrage

In Sweden (including Swedish-ruled Finland), women's suffrage was granted during the Age of Liberty from 1718 until 1772.

In Corsica, women's suffrage was granted in 1755 and lasted until 1769.

Women's suffrage (with the same property qualifications as for men) was granted in New Jersey in 1776 (the word "inhabitants" was used instead of "men" in the 1776 Constitution) and rescinded in 1807.

The Pitcairn Islands granted restricted women's suffrage in 1838. Various other countries and states granted restricted women's suffrage in the later half of the nineteenth century, starting with South Australia in 1861.

The first unrestricted women's suffrage in a major country was granted in New Zealand in 1893. The women's suffrage bill was adopted mere weeks before the general election of 1893. Māori men had been granted suffrage in 1867, white men in 1879. The Freedom in the World index lists New Zealand as the only free country in the world in 1893.

South Australia first granted women suffrage and allowed them to stand for parliament in 1894.

In 1906, the autonomous Grand Principality of Finland became the first territory to give women full political rights, i.e. both the right to vote and to run for office, and was the second in the world and the first in Europe to give women the right to vote. The world's first female members of parliament were elected in Finland the following year, 1907. After the German Revolution of 1918–19, the Weimar Constitution established universal suffrage in 1919 with a minimum voting age of 20.

The UK gave women the right to vote at the same age as men (21) in 1928.

In 1931, the Second Spanish Republic allowed women the right of passive suffrage with three women being elected.

During a discussion on extending women's right to active suffrage, the Radical Socialist Victoria Kent confronted the Radical Clara Campoamor. Kent argued that Spanish women were not yet prepared to vote and, since they were too influenced by the Catholic Church, they would vote for right-wing candidates. Campoamor however pleaded for women's rights regardless of political orientation. Her point finally prevailed and, in the election of 1933, the political right won with the vote of citizens of any sex over 23. Both Campoamor and Kent lost their seats.

In Switzerland, women's suffrage was introduced at the federal level, by a nationwide (male) referendum in 1971, but the referendum did not give women the right to vote at the local Cantonal level. The Cantons independently voted to grant women the right to vote. The first Canton to give women the right to vote was Vaud in 1959. The last Canton, Appenzell Innerrhoden, had a centuries-old law forbidding women to vote. This was only changed in 1990 when Switzerland's Federal Court ordered the Canton to grant women the right to vote.

Youth suffrage

Main article: Youth suffrage

The movement to lower the voting age many consider an aspect of universal suffrage that the youth rights movement has helped to lead. Organizations such as the National Youth Rights Association are active in the United States to advocate for a lower voting age, with some success, among other issues related to youth rights. A related movement, suffrage for Americans with disabilities provides important precedents and intersectionality with the movement to extend voting rights to children and youth.

Non-citizen suffrage

Main articles: Non-citizen suffrage and Non-resident citizen voting

While some jurisdictions extend the right to vote in at least some elections to resident non-citizens and non-resident citizens, many people remain unable to vote based on their citizenship and residency status. Non-citizen suffrage with non-resident citizen voting can result in dual transnational voting.

Dates by country

Parts of this article (those related to Afghanistan) need to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2021)

States have granted and revoked universal suffrage at various times.

Note: this chart does not indicate periods of autocratic rule (when voting has little or no power).

  • Adult citizens There are no distinctions between citizens over a certain age in any part of its territories due to gender, literacy, wealth, social status, religion, race, or ethnicity.
  • Male is for all males over a certain age in the majority ethnic or sectarian group irrespective of literacy, wealth, or social status.
  • Female is for when all women over a certain age can vote on the same terms as men.
  • Ethnicity is for when all eligible voters over a certain age can vote on the same terms as the majority or politically dominant group irrespective of religion, race, or ethnicity.

Since historically one group or another might have lost suffrage rights only to regain them later on, this table lists the last uninterrupted time from the present a group was granted the right to vote if that group's suffrage has been fully restored.

Note: The table can be sorted alphabetically or chronologically using the icons.
Suffrage milestones by country or territory
Country or territory Adult citizens Male Female Ethnicity Notes
Afghanistan 2004 2004 2004 2004 In 1919 King Amanullah Khan "created Afghanistan's first constitution, which abolished slavery, created a legislature, guaranteed secular education, and instituted equal rights for men and women." By 1929 he was overthrown along with his constitution and all voting rights were removed. The 1964 Constitution of Afghanistan transformed Afghanistan into a modern democracy. In 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and toppled the government, leaving in 1989. The Taliban took control of the government in 1996. But it wasn't until after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan that people regained the right to vote in 2004
Argentina 1952 1853 1952 1853 Universal male suffrage was instituted in 1853. Universal, secret and mandatory suffrage for male citizens over 18 years of age was granted by the Sáenz Peña Law (General Election Law) of 1912. It was amended to include female citizens in 1947 but became effective in 1952.
Armenia 1919 1919 1919 1919 Since the establishment of the First Republic of Armenia. June 21 and 23, 1919, first direct parliamentary elections were held in Armenia under universal suffrage - every person over the age of 20 had the right to vote regardless of gender, ethnicity or religious beliefs and 3 women were elected as MPs.
Australia 1965 1901 1902 1965 In 1856, the parliament of the self-governing Colony of South Australia enacted legislation providing for universal male suffrage for all male residents over the age of 21. The parliaments of the Colony of Victoria and the Colony of New South Wales followed suit by enacting legislation providing universal male suffrage in 1857 and 1858, respectively.

In 1894, the parliament of the Colony of South Australia enacted legislation providing female adults franchise; giving all adults of the age of majority the right to vote in elections, and for any elector to stand for high office.

In 1901, the self-governing colonies of Australia federated. In 1902, the new federal parliament legislated for an adult franchise and the right of electors to stand for and occupy any office for which they could directly vote. This franchise, including voting rights for non-Indigenous women, was established by the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902. Voting rights for Indigenous Australians varied depending on state legislation. The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 granted Indigenous Australians the right to vote in federal elections. In 1965, the Queensland parliament extended voting rights to all Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. Compulsory enrolment was extended to Indigenous Australians nationwide in 1984.

Austria 1918 1896 1918 1907 Universal suffrage 1896, universal and equal suffrage (removing multiple voting) 1907. Before 1907 unmarried landholding women were allowed to vote. After the Central Powers' defeat in World War I universal suffrage including women.
Azerbaijan 1919 1919 1919 1919 Joined the nascent Soviet Union in 1920.
Bahamas 1961 1958 1961 1807 Legislation passed in the house in 1961 allowing for Universal adult suffrage in The Bahamas. All men could vote equally in The Bahamas in 1958. In 1807 legislation passed in the house of assembly giving free persons of color the right to vote. Electorate is less than half of citizenry.
Bahrain 1975 1975 1975 Universal suffrage in 1973, although parliament was suspended and dissolved in 1975 for approximately 30 years.
Barbados 1950 1950 1950 1831 In 1831, legislation passed in the house of assembly giving free men of color the right to vote with an income qualification stipulation . In 1943, women were given the right to vote as men as long as they passed the income qualification. Legislation passed in the house in 1950 allowing for universal adult suffrage in Barbados. In 1964, voting age was reduced from age 21 to 18.
Belgium 1948 1893 1948 1893 Universal census suffrage for all men aged 25 and above since 1893. Depending on education and amount of taxes paid, males could cast between 1 and 3 votes. Widows were also allowed to vote but lost their voting rights after remarrying. Universal single suffrage for males since 1918. Universal suffrage for women was finally introduced in 1948.
Bhutan 2008 2008 2008 2008
Bolivia 1952 1938 1952 1952 Universal suffrage granted by decree of 1952; first elections in 1956; women's suffrage coincided with abolition of literacy requirements.
Brazil 1985 1891 1932 1891 Male suffrage from Brazilian Constitution of 1891 excluding beggars, women, illiterates, lowest ranking soldiers and members of monastic orders. Women from 1932. Suffrage was further expanded to all but illiterate people in 1946. Illiterates remained without the right to vote until 1985.
Brunei No elections.
Bulgaria 1945 1879 1945 1879 Universal suffrage including women and men serving in the Army was instituted by the government of the Fatherland front.
Burma/Myanmar 1990 1990 1990 1990 Last free elections held in 1990. New elections held in 2015, which elected 75% of legislators, while 25% remain appointed by the military.
Canada 1960 1920 1920 1960 In 1920, Canada enacted suffrage for federal elections for male and female citizens, with exceptions for Chinese Canadians and Aboriginal Canadians; for provincial elections, female suffrage was established between 1916 (Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan) and 1940 (Quebec). Chinese Canadians, regardless of gender, were given suffrage in 1947, while Aboriginal Canadians were not allowed to vote until 1960, regardless of gender. Newfoundland which joined Canada in 1949 had universal male suffrage in 1925.
Chile 1970 1970 1970 1970 From 1888 suffrage for men of any race over 21 who can read. From 1925 full suffrage for men aged 21 and above and able to read and write. 1934 women get to vote on Municipal Elections. From 1949 universal suffrage for men and women aged 21 and above and able to read and write. From 1970 suffrage for men and women aged 18 and older whether or not they can read.
China 1953 1947 1953 1947 Officially Universal suffrage was granted under the 1947 Constitution of the Republic of China when the First National Assembly (disbanded 2005) elections were held in 1947. But women were not explicitly enfranchised until 1953 thanks to the first Electoral Law of the People's Republic of China. The general populace can only vote for local elections. National elections for president and premier are held by the National People's Congress. Taiwan had the first multi-party legislative elections in 1992 and the first presidential election in 1996.
Colombia 1954 1936 1954 1936 Universal male suffrage started in 1853, restricted in 1886. Electorate defined on the basis of adult franchise and joint electorate.
First Czechoslovak Republic 1918 1896 1918 1896 Within Austria, universal suffrage 1896, universal and equal suffrage (removing multiple voting) 1907. After the Central Powers' defeat in World War I, universal suffrage including women.
Denmark 1915 1849 1915 1849 The King granted limited voting rights in 1834 but only to property owners and with limited power. First proper voting rights came in 1849 to "men over 30 of good reputation" but in the subsequent years the rules were changed a number of times, and it was not until the change of the constitution in 1915 that all men and women living within the kingdom had influence on all chambers. Danish law does not operate with any notion of "ethnicity", but non-resident citizens are still excluded from voting after two years abroad.
Dominican Republic 2015 Jorge Radhamés Zorrilla Ozuna proposed the inclusion of the military vote in the constitutional reform of Dominican Republic, to be effective in the elections of 2016.
Ecuador 1929
Estonia 1918 1917 1918 1917 Two tiered elections were held, with 62 representatives from rural communities and towns elected in May–June and July–August, respectively.
European Union 1979 1979 1979 1979 Elections to the European Parliament have taken place since 1979.
Finland 1906 1906 1906 1906 As an autonomous Grand Principality in the Russian Empire, Finland achieved universal suffrage in 1906, becoming the second country in the world to adopt universal suffrage. The Finnish parliamentary election of 1907 was the first time when women were elected (19 of 200 MPs). After becoming independent in 1917, Finland continued its universal suffrage.
France 1945 1792 1944 1792 In 1792, the Convention assembly was elected by all French males 21 and over. Over the subsequent years, France experienced profound political upheaval, with republican, monarchist and bonapartist government governing at various times. Through these changes, suffrage increased and decreased based on the introduction, repeal and reintroduction of various degrees of universal, property and census-based suffrage. Universal male suffrage was given in 1848, with the exception of the military who obtained the right to vote in 1945. This was supplemented in 1944 by full universal suffrage, including women as voters.
Georgia 1919 1919 1919 1919 The first democratic elections were held on 14–16 February 1919. Five women were elected in total (for Menshevik party) to take part in national legislature numbering 130MPs. In 1921, Georgia became a part of the nascent Soviet Union.
Germany 1919 1871 1919 1919 The German Empire from 1871 until 1918 (and the North German Confederation before it from 1867) had universal male suffrage, one of the more progressive election franchises at the time. After the German Revolution of 1918–19, the Weimar Constitution established universal suffrage in 1919 with a minimum voting age of 20.
Ghana 1951 1951 1951 1951 Universal suffrage was granted for the 1951 legislative election. This was the first election to be held in Africa under universal suffrage.
Greece 1952 1844 1952 1844 After the Revolution of 3 September 1843, the Greek Constitution of 1844 with the electoral law of 18 March 1844 introduced universal male suffrage with secret ballot. Women were given the right to vote in local elections in 1930 and in parliamentary elections since 1952.
Hong Kong 1991 1991 1991 1991 Held its first legislative elections in 1991, electing part of the legislators. However currently, less than a quarter of the seats in its Legislative Council are elected via universal suffrage, the rest being functional constituencies elected by trade groups and seats held by those elected by the establishment-controlled Election Committee.
Hungary 1918 1918 1918 1867 After the Central Powers' defeat in World War I.

Somewhat reverted in 1925: women's voting age raised to 30, education and wealth requirements were raised. In rural constituencies open voting was reinstated. The rate of eligible citizens fell to 29%.

Iceland 1920 1920 1920 1920 A small proportion of men were given the right to vote in the 1844 Althing elections.

A small proportion of women were granted the right to vote in local elections in 1882. Women's suffrage was proposed in the Althing in 1911, ratified by the Althing in 1913, and enacted on 19 June 1915 by the Danish king; but this only granted the vote to women over 40, and did not grant the right to vote to servants. These restrictions (along with some restrictions on male suffrage) were lifted in 1920 after Iceland became an independent state under the Danish crown in 1918.

India 1950 1950 1950 1950 All adult citizens as recognized by the Constitution of India, irrespective of race or gender or religion on the founding of the Republic of India.
Indonesia 1955 1955 1955 1955
Iran 1963 1906 1963 1906 Under "Constitutional Revolution". The White Revolution gave women the right to vote in 1963.
Ireland 1923 1918 1923 1793 The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1793 removed the voting ban from Catholic men in the Kingdom of Ireland. All adult men in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland were enfranchised by the Representation of the People Act 1918. This Act granted women over 30 the right to vote in national elections, but about 60% of women (those under 30 or not meeting property qualifications) were excluded until the Electoral Act 1923 in the Irish Free State changed previous British law to enfranchise women equally with men in 1923.
Israel 1948 1948 1948 1948 Universal suffrage since the founding of the State of Israel.
Italy 1945 1912 1945 1912 1912, introduction of the first universal male suffrage, extended to all citizens aged 30 and older, with no restrictions. It was applied in the elections of 1913. In 1918 the electorate was expanded with all male citizens aged 21 and older or who had served in the army. Universal adult suffrage, including women, introduced in 1945, and applied for the first time in the referendum of 1946. Suffrage for men and women aged 18 granted in 1975.
Jamaica 1944 1944 1944 1944 Universal adult suffrage introduced.
Japan 1945 1925 1945 1925 Universal adult male suffrage for those over 25 was introduced in 1925. Universal adult suffrage for both sexes over 20 introduced in 1945. The Voting age was reduced to 18 in 2016.
Kuwait 2005 1962 2005 1962 Universal adult male suffrage since 1962, for citizens who are 21 or older, with the exception of those who, at the time of elections, serve in the armed forces. As of 2005, women who satisfy the age and citizenship requirements are allowed to vote.
Latvia 1919 1919 1919 1919 Universal suffrage introduced in Law of elections to the Constituent assembly.
Lebanon 1943 1943 1943 1943 Universal suffrage for all adult males and females since the independence of Lebanon (The Chamber of Deputies is shared equally between Christians and Muslims, rather than elected by universal suffrage that would have provided a Muslim majority).
Liberia 1951 1946 1946 Liberia denies political rights for non-Black people. See: Liberian nationality law
Liechtenstein 1984 1921 1984
Lithuania 1918 1918 1918 1918 2 November 1918, the Council of State of Lithuania approved the Fundamental Laws of the Provisional Constitution of the State of Lithuania. In this Provisional Constitution it said: "All citizens of the State, whatever their sex, nationality, religion or class, are equal before the law.", this implicitly establishes universal suffrage. Directly universal suffrage was enshrined in the Electoral Law of 30 October 1919.
Luxembourg 1919 1919 1919 1919 Universal voting rights introduced in May 1919, first applied in a referendum on 28 September, then the parliamentarian elections on 26 October 1919.
Malaysia 1957 1956 1957 1956
Malta 1947 1947 1947 1947 The 1947 election was the first election without property qualifications for voters, and women were also allowed to vote for the first time.
Mauritius 1959 1948 1959 1948 The 1959 election was the first election when women were also allowed to vote for the first time. The 1948 Mauritian general election was the first instance when any adult who could write their names in any of the island's languages was allowed to vote, without property qualifications for voters.
Mexico 1953 1917 1953 1917 Universal suffrage given to men in 1917 after the Mexican Revolution; suffrage given to women in municipal elections in 1947 and national elections in 1953. In 1996, Mexicans living in the United States were given the right to vote in Mexican elections.
Netherlands 1919 1917 1919 1917 From 1917 full suffrage for men aged 23 and above. From 1919 universal suffrage for men and women aged 23. From 1971 suffrage for men and women aged 18 and older.
New Zealand 1893 1879 1893 1879 With the extension of voting rights to women in 1893, the self-governing British colony became one of the first permanently constituted jurisdictions in the world to grant universal adult suffrage, suffrage previously having been universal for Māori men over 21 from 1867, and for white men from 1879. Plural voting (impacting men) was abolished in 1889. Some adult prison inmates are denied the right to vote.
Norway 1913 1898 1913 1851 Full male suffrage in 1898, with women included in 1913. Tax-paying Sami men were granted suffrage in a revision of the constitution in 1821. The so-called Jew clause in the Constitution of 1814 explicitly banned Jews from entering and residing in the kingdom. It was repealed in 1851, paving the way for Jews to live, pay taxes and vote in Norway.
Pakistan 1956 1951 1956 1951 In 1956, women were granted the right to vote in national elections. Pakistan adopted universal adult suffrage for provisional assembly elections soon after it became independent in 1947. The first direct elections held in the country after independence were for the provincial Assembly of the Punjab from 10 to 20 March 1951.
Paraguay 1961
Peru 1979 1979 1979 1979 Suffrage was granted for women in 1955 but suffrage for the illiterate was only granted with the 1979 Constitution.
Philippines 1946 1935 1937 1946 Males who were over 25 years old and could speak English or Spanish, with property and tax restrictions, were previously allowed to vote as early as 1907; universal male suffrage became a constitutional right in 1935. Women's suffrage was approved in a plebiscite in 1937.
Poland 1918 1918 1918 1918 Prior to the Partition of Poland in 1795, only nobility (men) were allowed to take part in political life. The first parliamentary elections were held on 26 January 1919 (1919 Polish legislative election), according to the decree introducing universal suffrage, signed by Józef Piłsudski on 28 November 1918, immediately after restoring independent Polish state. Universal suffrage for men and women over 21.
Portugal 1974 1974 1974 1974 By 1878, 72% of the male adult population had access to vote; this number was restricted by the policies of the last years of the monarchy and first years of the republic (transition in 1910 with the 5 October 1910 revolution), being reinstalled only in the 1920s. Restricted female suffrage was firstly allowed in 1931; it was further extended in 1933, 1946, and finally 1968. Due to the 1933–74 dictatorship of Estado Novo, universal suffrage was only fully attained after the 1974 Carnation revolution.
Qatar 1999 1999 1999 Municipal elections are open for active and passive participation for men and women since 1999.
Romania 1948 1918 1948 1918 The universal suffrage for men established by Royal Decree in November 1918, the first elections using universal suffrage took place in November 1919. Literate women were given the right to vote in the local elections in 1929 and the electoral law of 1939 extended the active voting rights to all literate citizens which were 30 years old or older. The universal suffrage was granted by the 1948 Constitution of Romania.
Russia 1917 1917 1917 1917 Universal suffrage established by Declaration of the Provisional Government of 15 March 1917 and Statute on Elections of the Constituent Assembly of 2 August 1917.
Samoa 1991 1990 1991 1990
Saudi Arabia 2015 2005 2015 2005 Saudi Arabia is an authoritarian state. Men and women have the right to vote for half the seats in "virtually powerless" municipal councils.
Serbia 1945 1888 1945 1888 Suffrage for male voters who paid taxes was granted in the Constitution of 1869, and in the Constitution of 1888 the right to vote was given to all males of age 21. Women were allowed to vote with the Communist constitution of Yugoslavia.
South Africa 1994 1910 1931 1994 White women's suffrage granted in 1930 and suffrage for all white adults regardless of property in 1931. Universal suffrage not regarding race or colour of skin; many blacks and Coloureds were denied the right to vote before and during the apartheid era (1948–1994).
South Korea 1948 1948 1948 1948 Universal suffrage since the founding of the Republic of Korea. However, voting was initially limited to landowners and taxpayers in the larger towns, elders voting for everyone at the village level.
Spain 1933 1812 1933 1869 The Constitution of 1812 enfranchised all Spanish men of Iberian or indigenous American descent in both hemispheres irrespective of property, but explicitly excluded Afrodescendent men.; nevertheless, the Constitution was repealed with the restoration of Ferdinand VII in 1814.

Recovered and extended to all men from 1869 to 1878 (comprising the Provisional Government, the Reign of Amadeo of Savoy, the First Spanish Republic and the three first years of Bourbon Restoration) and from 1890 to the end of the Second Spanish Republic (1931–36). On 19 November 1933 women were granted the right to vote. Revoked during Franco era (1939–75) and recovered since 1977 in the new Spanish Constitution.

Sri Lanka 1931 1931 1931 1931 Universal suffrage for all irrespective of race, ethnicity, language, or gender. Sri Lanka is the oldest democracy in Asia.
Sweden 1945 1909 1919 1873 During the years 1718–72 burgher men and women of age and with income were able to elect members of parliament, but women's suffrage was abolished in 1772. Jews were given the right to vote in 1838, but not given the right to stand for election until 1870. Catholics were given the right to vote in 1873, but not given the right to be eligible as cabinet minister until 1951. Full male suffrage 1909 for those aged 25 and above, but only to one of two equally weighed houses of parliament. Universal suffrage for men and women aged 23 enacted in 1919, and the first election took place in 1921. Until 1924 men who refused to do military service were excepted from universal suffrage. Until 1937 courts were able to punish crimes by revoking a convict's right to vote. Until 1945 persons living on benefits were excepted from universal suffrage. Voting age changed to 21 in 1945, to 20 in 1965, to 19 in 1969 and to 18 in 1975.
Switzerland 1990 1848 1990 1866 In the short-lived Helvetic Republic (1798–1803) men above the age of 20 had the right to vote. At the formation of today's federal state in 1848, Switzerland reintroduced universal male suffrage, but Jews did not have the same political rights as Christian citizens until 1866.

Women's suffrage was introduced at the national level after a nationwide (male) referendum in 1971, but the referendum did not give women the right to vote at the cantonal level.

Among the constituent states of the Old Swiss Confederacy, universal male suffrage is first attested in Uri in 1231, in Schwyz in 1294, in Unterwalden in 1309, and in Appenzell in 1403. In these rural communities all men fit for military service were allowed to participate in the Landsgemeinde, which managed political and judicial affairs.

Women gained the right to vote in cantonal elections and referendums in the following years:

  • 1959: Vaud, Neuchâtel
  • 1960: Genève
  • 1966: Basel-Stadt
  • 1968: Basel-Land
  • 1969: Ticino
  • 1970: Valais, Luzern, Zürich.
  • 1971: Aargau, Fribourg, Schaffhausen, Zug, Glarus, Solothurn, Bern, Thurgau.
  • 1972: St. Gallen, Uri, Schwyz, Graubünden, Nidwalden, Obwalden.

Appenzell Ausserrhoden only allowed women to vote in 1989, and the women of Appenzell Innerrhoden had to wait until 1990, when a ruling of the Federal Court forced the canton to let women participate in the Landsgemeinde.

Thailand 1933 1933 1933 1933 Thailand gave all villagers, men and women, the right to vote in local village elections in the "Local Administrative Act of May 1897" but not nationally. Universal suffrage for national elections was granted during the first general election in 1933.
Tunisia 1959 1957 Universal suffrage for all since the first post-independence constitution.
Turkey 1934 1876 1934 1876
United Arab Emirates 2006 2006 2006 Limited suffrage for both men and women. A hand-picked 12% of Emirati citizens have the right to vote for half the members of the Federal National Council, an advisory quasi-parliamentary body. The UAE is an authoritarian state.
United Kingdom 1928 1918 1928 1791 The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791 removed the dependence of voting rights on religion in the Kingdom of Great Britain. The right to vote has never since been based on race or religion.

All adult men in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland were enfranchised by the Representation of the People Act 1918. This Act granted women over 30 the right to vote in national elections, but about 60% of women (those under 30 or not meeting property qualifications) were excluded until the Equal Franchise Act 1928, when women were granted the vote on the same terms as men in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Representation of the People Act 1948 removed plural voting rights held by about 7% of the electorate.

The Representation of the People Act 1969 reduced the voting age from 21 to 18, the first major democratic country to do so.

As of 2019, 529,902 British nationals (257,646 people in Crown Dependencies and 272,256 people in British Overseas Territories) are represented in local legislatures in their territories but not in the House of Commons, unless they are resident in the United Kingdom.

United Nations 1948 1948 1948 1948 Provision of "universal and equal suffrage" in Universal Declaration of Human Rights
United States 1965 1856 1920 1965
  • In the colonial era, there had been various restrictions on suffrage in what is today the United States. Property restrictions on voting disenfranchised more than half of the white male population in most states.
  • After the American Revolution, the Constitution did not originally define who was eligible to vote, allowing each state to determine who was eligible. In the early history of the U.S., most states allowed only white male adult property owners to vote (about 6% of the population). Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky were the three states to have full adult suffrage for white males before 1800. New Jersey allowed women's suffrage for landowners until the early 1800s.
  • In the 1820 election, there were 108,359 ballots cast. In the 1840 election, 2,412,694 ballots were cast, an increase that far outstripped natural population growth. Poor voters became a huge part of the electorate. By 1856, after the period of Jacksonian democracy, all states had almost universal white adult male suffrage regardless of property ownership. Tax-paying requirements remained in five states, and two into the 20th century.
  • In 1868, the 14th Amendment altered the way each state is represented in the House of Representatives. It counted all residents for apportionment including former slaves, overriding the three-fifths compromise, and reduced a state's apportionment if it wrongfully denied men aged 21 and above the right to vote. However, this was not enforced in practice. In 1870, the 15th Amendment granted suffrage to all males of any race, skin color, and ethnicity, including former slaves (freedmen), meaning that male African Americans in theory had the right to vote throughout the United States.
  • Starting in 1888, former Confederate states passed Jim Crow laws and amendments to effectively disfranchise black and poor white voters through poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses and other restrictions, applied in a discriminatory manner. During this period, the Supreme Court generally upheld state efforts to discriminate against racial minorities; only later in the 20th century were these laws ruled unconstitutional. Black males in the Northern states could vote, but the majority of African Americans lived in the South.
  • Wyoming was the first territory to enfranchise all women in 1869. From then until 1916, all Western states legalized women suffrage, but few Eastern states followed suit. However, in 1920 the 19th Amendment extended the franchise to women in all states.
  • In 1924 the Indian Citizenship Act gave suffrage to all Native Americans, nearly two-thirds of whom already had citizenship and the right to vote.
  • In 1943 Chinese immigrants were given the right to citizenship and the right to vote by the Magnuson Act. It allowed some Chinese immigration for the first time since the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and permitted some Chinese immigrants already residing in the country to become naturalized citizens.
  • In 1962–1964, the nationwide "one man, one vote" electoral system was lawfully established mainly through the Warren Court's rulings in Baker v. Carr (1962), Reynolds v. Sims (1964), as well as Wesberry v. Sanders (1964).
  • In 1964–1965, the 24th Amendment, which abolished the use of poll taxes as a requirement for voting in federal elections, was passed. Full enfranchisement was revived in 1965, with the passage of Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965, which provided for federal enforcement of rights. For state elections, it was not until the Warren Court ruled 6–3 in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966) that all state poll taxes were unconstitutional as violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This removed a burden on the poor.
  • In 1971, the 26th Amendment ratified, which granted suffrage for men and women aged 18.
  • Currently 4 million American citizens living in the Territories of the United States do not have representation in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
Uruguay 1918 1932 With the 1918 Uruguayan Constitution.
Venezuela 1946
Zimbabwe 1979 1919 1979 Universal suffrage was introduced in the 1978 Internal Settlement between Ian Smith and Abel Muzorewa. The 1979 Lancaster House constitution agreed to accommodate the nationalists and also affirmed universal suffrage but with a special role for whites. Universal suffrage with no special consideration for race came in 1987. Before 1978, Rhodesia (the name for the region that would become Zimbabwe in 1980) had a merit qualification to vote. This was controversial because it excluded the vast majority of native Africans. Though white women were granted the right to vote in 1919.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ While the USSR was not formally founded until 1922, a group of socialist republics under the influence of Soviet Russia existed for several years before that.
  2. Over the years suffrage increased and decreased based on the introduction, repeal and reintroduction of various degrees of universal, property and census-based suffrage. Universal male suffrage was given in 1848 and in 1944 women had equal universal suffrage rights to men. The military obtained the right to vote in 1945.
  3. In 1792, the Convention assembly was elected by all French males 21 and over regardless of one's ethnicity. While not an ethnicity, those serving in the military obtained the right to vote in 1945.
  4. ^ the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 reflects eligibility for office, not the eligibility to vote.
  5. ^ Until the Reform Act 1832 specified "male persons", a few women had been able to vote in parliamentary elections through property ownership, although this was rare. In local government elections, women lost the right to vote under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. Unmarried women ratepayers received the right to vote in the Municipal Franchise Act 1869. This right was confirmed in the Local Government Act 1894 and extended to include some married women. By 1900, over 1 million women were registered for local government elections in England.
  6. While local government gerrymandering in Northern Ireland was one of the factors which led to the Troubles, parliamentary elections still took place for all British citizens. In 1972 the British Parliament was unwilling to grant the mostly Protestant unionist Northern Ireland government more authoritarian special powers since it was now convinced of its inability to restore order. So they suspended the Parliament of Northern Ireland and the post of Governor and made provision for direct rule by the elected government of the United Kingdom.
  7. Graduates of universities lost the right to vote in university constituencies as well as parliamentary boroughs and property owners lost the right to vote both in the constituency where their property lay and that in which they lived, if the two were different. For elections to the Parliament of Northern Ireland, these changes were made under the Electoral Law Act 1968.
  8. Most of the British Overseas Territories and all of the Crown Dependencies have a local representative government, although ultimate authority still resides in Westminster. Legislation has been proposed in past to create parliamentary districts for the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies, though as of 2020 no bill has been put forward by the British government British nationality law has changed over the years has redefined who has the birthright to live and work in the UK. In 1968 and 1971, as a result of fears about increasing immigration by non-white British citizens, the UK Government introduced immigration restrictions and stripped birthrights on British subjects from some British Overseas Territories. The current principal British nationality law in force, since 1 January 1983, is the British Nationality Act 1981, which established the system of multiple categories of British nationality.
  9. ^ While constitutionally given the right to vote by the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870 and 19th Amendment in 1920, the reality of the country was such that most African Americans and some poor whites could not vote until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Starting in 1888 Southern states legalized disenfranchisement by enacting Jim Crow laws; they amended their constitutions and passed legislation to impose various voting restrictions, including literacy tests, poll taxes, property-ownership requirements, moral character tests, requirements that applicants interpret a particular document, and grandfather clauses that allowed otherwise-ineligible persons to vote if their grandfathers voted (which excluded many African Americans whose grandfathers had been ineligible). During this period, the Supreme Court generally upheld state efforts to discriminate against racial minorities. In Giles v. Harris (1903), the Court held that irrespective of the Fifteenth Amendment, the judiciary did not have the remedial power to force states to register racial minorities to vote. The Indian Citizenship Act in 1924 gave Native Americans the right to vote and officially recognized them as citizens, nearly two-thirds of whom already had citizenship and the right to vote. In 1943 Chinese immigrants were given the right to citizenship and the right to vote by the Magnuson Act. African Americans and others gained full enfranchisement through passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
  10. The 1828 presidential election was the first in which non-property-holding white males could vote in the vast majority of states, but this was not consistent across the country until the last state, North Carolina, abolished property qualification in 1856 resulting in a close approximation to universal white male suffrage (however tax-paying requirements remained in five states in 1860 and survived in two states until the 20th century). The Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 altered the way each state is represented in the House of Representatives. It counted all residents for apportionment including slaves, overriding the three-fifths compromise, and reduced a state's apportionment if it wrongfully denied males over the age of 21 the right to vote; however, this was not enforced in practice. Some poor white men remained excluded at least until 1965. For state elections, it was not until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966) that all state poll taxes were unconstitutional as violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This removed a burden on the poor.
  11. 19th Amendment in 1920 prohibited any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex, but most African-American women some poor white women remained excluded at least until 1965. For state elections, it was not until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6–3 in Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections (1966) that all state poll taxes were unconstitutional as violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This removed a burden on the poor.

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  133. Ashlyn K. Kuersten (2003). Women and the Law: Leaders, Cases, and Documents. p. 13. ABC-CLIO, 2003
  134. Madsen, Deborah L., ed. (2015). The Routledge Companion to Native American Literature. Routledge. p. 168. ISBN 978-1317693192.
  135. "One Person, One Vote | The Constitution Project". www.theconstitutionproject.com. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
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  139. The Constitution: The 24th Amendment Time.

Further reading

  • Duong, Kevin (2020). "What Was Universal Suffrage?". Theory & Event. 23 (1): 29–65.

External links

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