Universal suffrage

The table below lists the year that universal male and universal female suffrage were introduced into various nations at the national level. Sub-national entities such as states, provinces and cities sometimes had entirely different voting qualifications and are not dealt with in this article. The list below is non-exhaustive.

In general nations that became independent during the 20th or 21st centuries granted universal suffrage to men and women at the same time. In nations that became independent before the 20th century men typically led women by a few years or decades in obtaining suffrage. Even a few decades should be seen as a short period of time given that human political thought has been developing, even conservatively, for 5000 years.

The following definitions are used in the table below:

Universal Male Suffrage: Men of the majority ethnic group are permitted one secret vote in free elections irrespective of possession of land, wealth, education levels or literacy levels where the minimum age is no higher than 21.

This differs from the definition used in the English Wikipedia as it considers universal male suffrage to begin when men of the majority ethnic group of any age received the franchise without further qualification. The English Wikipedia definition would mean that in reality only a minority of men would have the franchise and makes it appear that universal male suffrage was enacted earlier than it really was.

Universal Female Suffrage: Women of the majority ethnic group are permitted one secret vote in free elections irrespective of possession of land, wealth, education levels or literacy levels where the minimum age is no higher than 21.

It is universally accepted within psephology that some citizens may be deprived of suffrage while a jurisdiction can still be considered to have Universal Suffrage. Examples of citizens so deprived include military officers, citizens who are non-resident, citizens serving a term of imprisonment and citizens with serious criminal records.

If minority ethnic suffrage was counted as a requirement for universal male and female suffrage then the dates of universal suffrage would be much later for many nations. This would unfortunately obscure important information pertaining to universal suffrage and gender - that in general there was little or no delay between universal male and universal female suffrage of the majority ethnic group in most nations. The exclusion of minority ethnic suffrage in this manner is also consistent with the norms of psephology when considering universal male and universal female suffrage.

Country	Universal Male Suffrage	Universal Female Suffrage	Difference (years)	Notes
Afganistan	1977	1977	0
Algeria	1962	1962	0
Argentina	1853	1952	99
Armenia	1919	1921	2
Austria	1907	1918	11	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal male suffrage from 1896 despite Austria allowing multiple voting before 1907.
Australia	1901	1902	1	During the 1901 (inaugural) federal election women were eligible to vote if they were eligible to vote in their home state elections. As a result women in South Australia and Western Australia voted in the 1901 election. For Australian states see this article.
Azerbaijan	1919	1919	0
Bahamas	1958	1961	3
Bahrain	1973	1973	0
Belgium	1918	1948	30	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal male suffrage from 1893 despite men under 25 being unable to vote and multiple voting being permissible until 1918.
Bhutan	2008	2008	0
Bolivia	1956	1956	0
Brazil	1988	1988	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to various different definitions. The Old Republic (1889-1930) allowed only limited suffrage. During this period Brazil was under the control of large landholders. From 1930 to 1988 various dictatorships ran Brazil. Genuine democracy was only established in 1988.
Brunei	-	-	-	Brunei is an absolute monarchy and its citizens have never had the franchise.
Bulgaria	1945	1945	0
Burma/Myanmar	1990	1990	0
Canada	1920	1920	0	Chinese and aborigines were initially excluded regardless of gender. For Canadian provinces see this article.
Chile	1970	1970	0
Colombia	1936	1954	18
Czechia	1896	1918	22	As the First Czechoslovak Republic.
Denmark	1915	1915	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal male suffrage from 1849 despite men under 30 and men not of good character being unable to vote at the time.
Dominica				Research continues.
Dominican Republic	2015	2015	0
Egypt				Research continues.
Estonia	1917	1918	1
European Union	1979	1979	0
Finland	1906	1906	0
France	1848	1944	96
Georgia	1919	1919	0
Germany	1871	1919	48
Ghana	1957	1957	0
Greece	1844	1952	108
Hong Kong	1991	1991	0
Hungary	1918	1918	0
India	1950	1950	0
Indonesia	1955	1955	0
Iran	1906	1963	57
Ireland	1918	1923	5
Israel	1948	1948	0
Italy	1918	1945	27	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal male suffrage from 1912 despite men under 30 being unable to vote until 1918.
Jamaica	1944	1944	0	The House of Representatives was established in 1944. Jamaica then gained increasing autonomy and finally became fully independent in 1962, with universal suffrage throughout.
Japan	1945	1945	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal male suffrage from 1925 despite men under 25 being unable to vote until 1945.
Kuwait	1962	2005	43
Latvia	1919	1919	0
Lebanon	1943	1943	0
Liberia	1946	1946	0
Liechtenstein	1984	1984	0
Lithuania	1922	1922	0
Luxembourg	1919	1919	0
Malaysia	1956	1957	1
Malta	1947	1947	0
Mexico	1917	1953	36
Netherlands	1971	1971	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal suffrage from 1919 despite men and women under 23 not being able to vote until 1971.
New Zealand	1879	1893	14
Norway	1898	1913	15
Pakistan	1947	1947	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage.
Peru	1979	1979	0
Philippines	1935	1937	2
Poland	1918	1918	0
Portugal	1974	1974	0
Qatar	2013			Research continues.
Romania	1918	1948	30
Russia	1917	1917	0
Samoa	1990	1991	1
Saudi Arabia	-	-	-	Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy and its citizens have never had the franchise.
Serbia	1888	1945	57
South Africa	1931	1931	0
South Korea	1987	1987	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here as only limited suffrage was introduced in 1948. The first democratic election in South Korea occurred following the establishment of the Sixth Republic.
Spain	1890	1933	43	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here as the 1812 Constitution did not extend suffrage to all men, as Wikipedia itself notes.
Slovakia	1896	1918	22	As the First Czechoslovak Republic.
Sri Lanka	1931	1931	0
Sweden	1945	1945	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Wikipedia counts universal male suffrage from 1909 despite men under 25 not being able to vote at the time. Wikipedia counts universal female suffrage from 1919 despite men and women under 23 not being able to vote at the time. Wikipedia does admit that universal suffrage was introduced in 1945 but this is inconsistent with the other dates presented for Sweden.
Switzerland	1848	1971	123	Switzerland is a federal state made up of cantons. At a canton level universal male and female suffrage was achieved at different times. Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here as Wikipedia is counting canton dates not just federal dates.
Taiwan	1992	1992	0
Thailand	1933	1933	0
Tunisia	1959	1959	0
Turkey	1946	1946	0	The first multi-party elections in the country were in 1946.
United Arab Emirates	-	-	-	Limited suffrage only for all adults. The dates displayed on Wikipedia for male & female suffrage are erroneous as Wikipedia fails to meet even its own definitions of male & female suffrage on several key points.
United Kingdom	1918	1928	10	The Reform Act 1832 barred women from voting in national elections from 1832 to 1918. During this period women could still vote in local elections. In 1918 women over 30 gained the franchise if they lived in a house, had a husband who did or owned property worth a certain amount.
United States	1870	1920	50	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. For US states see this article.
Uruguay	1918	1918	0
Zimbabwe	1987	1987	0	Information in Wikipedia differs from that presented here due to a different definition for Universal Male Suffrage. Universal suffrage without additional conditions consistent with international norms only occurred in 1987.

See Also

• Suffrage
• Universal suffrage in Australia
• Universal suffrage in Canada
• Universal suffrage in the United States

External Links

• Good summary for Australia
• A Brief History of Voting
• Wikipedia contains a similar list
• Universal male suffrage in New Zealand
• Discussion of suffrage Elections Canada
• Did Women’s Suffrage Change the Size and Scope of Government?
• Timeline of suffrage

This article contains information imported from the English Wikipedia. In most cases the page history will have details. If you need information on the importation and have difficulty obtaining it please contact the site administrators.

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