Universal suffrage facts for kids
Universal suffrage means that almost all adult citizens have the right to vote in elections. It's based on the idea of "one person, one vote", meaning everyone's vote counts equally. This right allows people to choose their leaders and have a say in how their country is run. While we call it "universal," sometimes there are still rules, like needing to be a certain age or being a citizen of the country. The goal of universal suffrage is to make sure as many people as possible can participate in their government.
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The Journey to Universal Voting Rights
Long ago, in the first modern democracies, not everyone could vote. Often, only men who owned land or were wealthy were allowed to cast a ballot. Sometimes, people even had to belong to a specific religion to vote! Over time, more and more people gained this important right.
In the 1800s, many groups worked hard to get "universal male suffrage," which meant all adult men could vote. Later in that century, movements for women's voting rights also grew stronger.
Key Moments in Voting History
- In 1893, New Zealand made history by allowing all adult women to vote, no matter their background.
- Just one year later, in 1894, South Australia went a step further. It gave all adult citizens, both men and women, the right to vote and even to run for election! This was a big step for women in politics.
- Then, in 1906, Finland became the first place in the world to truly have unrestricted universal suffrage. This meant all adult men and women, from all ethnic groups, could vote and be elected to parliament. In fact, the very next year, the world saw its first female members of parliament elected in Finland!
In the United States, after the idea of "One person, one vote" became important in the 1960s, laws were passed to protect and expand voting rights for all Americans, especially African Americans. This helped make sure everyone had a fair chance to vote. Women in the U.S. gained the right to vote in 1920. In the United Kingdom, all women could vote by 1928.
Women's Right to Vote
The fight for women's suffrage, or the right for women to vote, was a long and important one.
- Some places had early, limited forms of women's voting rights, like in Sweden (1718-1772) and Corsica (1755-1769). New Jersey in the U.S. also allowed some women landowners to vote for a short time in the late 1700s.
- But it was New Zealand in 1893 that became the first major country to grant all adult women the right to vote in national elections.
- South Australia followed in 1894, also allowing women to run for parliament.
- Finland in 1906 was the first to give women full political rights, meaning they could both vote and be elected.
- In the United States, women gained the right to vote across all states in 1920 with the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.
- In the United Kingdom, women got the same voting rights as men in 1928.
- In Spain, women gained the right to vote in 1933, after a big discussion about whether they were ready.
- Switzerland took a bit longer. Women gained the right to vote in national elections in 1971. However, some local areas (called Cantons) had to vote separately, and the last one, Appenzell Innerrhoden, only allowed women to vote in 1990 after a court order.
Young People and Voting Age
The idea of youth suffrage is about lowering the voting age. Many young people and groups believe that if you are old enough to work, pay taxes, or join the military, you should be old enough to vote. This movement aims to give younger citizens a voice in their government.
Voting from Abroad
Sometimes, citizens who live outside their home country can still vote in its elections. This allows people who are temporarily living or working in another country to participate in their nation's decisions.
When Countries Gained Universal Voting Rights
The journey to universal suffrage has been different for every country. Here are some examples of when various groups gained the right to vote:
- France: All adult men could vote from 1848. Women gained the right to vote in 1944.
- Germany: All adult men could vote from 1871. Women gained the right in 1919.
- New Zealand: All adult women could vote in 1893. This meant all adult citizens had universal suffrage by that year.
- Australia: Women gained the right to vote and run for office in 1902. However, Aboriginal Australians did not have nationwide voting rights until 1962.
- Finland: Achieved full universal suffrage for all adults, including women and all ethnic groups, in 1906.
- United States: White men gained near-universal suffrage by 1856. African American men theoretically gained the right in 1870, but faced many unfair rules until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 helped protect their votes. Women gained the right in 1920. The voting age was lowered to 18 in 1971.
- United Kingdom: All adult men could vote by 1918. Women gained the right in 1928. The voting age was lowered to 18 in 1969.
- South Africa: Universal suffrage for all races was finally achieved in 1994, after a long period where some groups of people could not vote in national elections.
- India: Granted universal suffrage to all adult citizens, regardless of background, when it became a republic in 1950.
- European Union: Citizens of EU countries have been able to vote for members of the European Parliament since 1979.
See also
In Spanish: Sufragio universal para niños
- Democracy indices
- Equality before the law
- List of suffragists and suffragettes
- List of women's rights activists
- One person, one vote
- Suffragette
- Timeline of women's suffrage
