The British Franchise - Who Could Vote and When
Our Editor offers a basic history for easy reference

The right to vote was once seen in relation to the responsibilities of property and related taxation. One can trace development towards including those who leased or rented their properties. In 1867 a voter needed to be the head of a household though country labourers had to wait until 1884. Even then it took a long time for women and male servants to be included. Today we take it for granted that all adults can vote but our history might help us to value that right and responsibility.

Pre-1832
Before the passing of the First Reform Act of 1832 there was no uniformity of franchise in the towns with local freemen, or just the council, choosing the parliamentary representatives. In the counties the vote was restricted to 40 shilling freeholders. M.Ps had to be landowners. About 2% of the population had the vote before 1832 and 3% following the reform.ie 300,000 extra votes.

1832
As a result of the Reform Act the position of property owners and some tenants as voters was secured. In the counties 40 shilling freeholders, £10p.a. copyholders and £50p.a. leaseholders had the vote while in the towns, £10 p.a. householders. In effect the middle class benefited and groups other than the landed interests entered parliament but the disappointment of the working classes led to agitation for reform and the Chartist movement.

1867
The Second Reform Act, under Disraeli, ensured votes for town workers and some tenants and lodgers. The franchise was extended to all male householders in towns and to country householders whose rental was twelve pounds per year or more. Lodgers paying £10 per year for unfurnished rooms qualified. Urban male members of the working class at last had the vote.

1884
Under Gladstone's Franchise Act of 1884 the inclusion of male householders was extended into the counties with the result that agricultural labourers at last had the vote but this was not yet universal male suffrage as it left out domestic servants who could not be regarded as householders. However the political system of the country could now be said to rest on a democratic basis rather than a property basis though "votes for women" was to take much longer.

1918
Under the prime ministership of Lloyd George the Representation of the People Act gave the vote to all men over 21 years and to all women over 30 years. The Suffragettes had kept up their pressure for "votes for women" until the outbreak of the First World War during which women took on many jobs previously only undertaken by men. At the end of this war this was little hostility to women's franchise. The same act enfranchised male domestic servants.

1928
Under Baldwin the Franchise Act of 1928 ended the anomaly of different minimum voting ages for men and women and now nearly all men and women in the country over 21 years had the vote. Here we arrive at acceptance that all make a contribution to the nation's life and should enjoy democratic rights and responsibilities.

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