Milestones in the extension of the franchise In the UK today all citizens aged 1867 18 and over are allowed to vote In perspective, the 1832 Act was more of about citizenship, democracy and rights in public, political elections, an administrative exercise — reforming over the intervening decades. The Chartist with the exception of only a constituency boundaries and barely movement had put universal male suffrage, small number of individuals. bringing 2% more men to the polls. The the secret ballot, and other social reforms Representation of the People Act 1867 at the top of the political agenda. The 1969 This entitlement is known as (the Second Reform Act), on the other American Civil War (concluding in 1865) universal suffrage, is granted to hand, was a major move to enfranchise had come to symbolise enfranchisement The Representation of the People Act 1969 educated, better informed and more socially the urban male working classes. It was the and progressive democratic ideals, thereby lowered the voting age to include 18–20-year- and economically independent than previously. 71.5% of the population and is product of a significant shift in thinking emboldening liberal campaigners. Suffragettes in 1912 at a olds of both genders. Voters in this younger Parliament passed the Act and so removed the protected by law. protest march in London age bracket were considered to be better final barrier to universal adult suffrage. Pre-1832 1830s 1840s 1850s 1860s 1870s 1880s 1890s 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Pre-1832 1887 1918 A woman voting for The future the first time, 1918 Prior to 1832 only a tiny fraction of the The Third Reform Act extended the vote The Representation of the People Act Areas of contention concerning the population voted for the individuals who to all working men. Strictly speaking, the in 1918 made women eligible to vote franchise still remain: represented them. Selection of the UK’s Act entitled all men holding land valued in UK-wide elections for the first time. • Should 16- and 17-year-olds be permitted representative assembly lay in the hands of at more than £10, or paying annual rent The Act enfranchised women over the to vote, as they were in the Scottish a wealthy, male, land-owning elite. Elections of £10, to vote. Although the size of the age of 30 (subject to minimum property independence referendum in 2014? took place in ‘boroughs’ — the number of electorate increased to more than qualifications), as well as all men over the • Should adult prisoners continue to electors within them ranged from under 10 5.5 million, the Act still left all women and age of 21. The 1918 Act came at a time of exercise their right to vote despite being in (these were known as ‘rotten boroughs’) to 40% of adult men disenfranchised. significant social and political change for jail? over 12,000. The qualifications to be able women. The workplace was transforming, to vote varied widely from one region to with the availability of clerical jobs and another, though less than 4% of the total some professional careers — such as in population were eligible. healthcare and education — for the first time. 1832 1928 The most significant changes brought in by to create seats in the House of Commons the Representation of the People Act of 1832 to represent the cities that had begun The franchise was further extended PoliticsReviewExtras — known widely as the Great Reform Act to spring up as the Industrial Revolution 10 years later, securing parity between A printable PDF of this poster and — were to extend the franchise to around gathered pace. The Act also disbanded many the genders with all men and women over an extension activity are available: 800,000 people (one in five male adults and rotten boroughs by redrawing constituency the age of 21 gaining the right to vote in www.hoddereducation.co.uk/ around 6% of the total population), and boundaries. the Representation of the People (Equal politicsreviewextras Franchise) Act. The Act also eliminated the property qualifications for women set out in the 1918 Act, and added 5 million more Nick Gallop teaches politics and is women to the electoral roll. headmaster of Stamford School. 16 Politics Review February 2018 www.hoddereducation.co.uk/politicsreview 17.