suffrage
Sign in to saveupright=1.5|thumb|People queuing and showing their identity documents for voting in the [[2014 Indian general election]] Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vote is called active suffrage, as distinct from passive suffrage, which is the right to stand for election. The combination of active and passive suffrage is sometimes called full suffrage.
AI overview
Suffrage is the right to vote in public political elections and referendums, a fundamental aspect of democratic participation. It matters because it determines who has a voice in selecting leaders and deciding important public issues that affect their communities and nations.
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Article
50 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Types
- Universal suffrage
- Early history
- Women's suffrage
- Anti-women's suffrage propaganda
- Equal suffrage
- Passive suffrage
- Census suffrage
- Compulsory suffrage
- Business vote
- Gender
- Religion
- Wealth, tax class, social class
- Knowledge
- Race
- Age
- Criminality
- Residency
- Nationality
- Naturalization
- Function
- History around the world
- Australia
- Canada
- European Union
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- India
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Majority-Muslim countries
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- United States
- External links
upright=1.5|thumb|People queuing and showing their identity documents for voting in the [[2014 Indian general election]] Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vote is called active suffrage, as distinct from passive suffrage, which is the right to stand for election. The combination of active and passive suffrage is sometimes called full suffrage.
In most democracies, eligible voters can vote in elections for representatives. Voting on issues by referendum (direct democracy) may also be available. For example, in Switzerland, this is permitted at all levels of government. In the United States, some states allow citizens the opportunity to write, propose, and vote on referendums (popular initiatives); other states and the federal government do not. Referendums in the United Kingdom are rare.