suffragebegan

Suffragebegan is a term used to describe the point at which a political community first extended the right to vote beyond previously restricted groups. It marks turning points in the history of voting rights. Because reforms occurred at different times in different places, suffragebegan is not a single date but a pattern of expansions of political participation.

Historically, early voting rights were limited. In ancient Athens, free male citizens could vote, while women, slaves, and foreigners were excluded. In medieval and early modern Europe, participation often depended on property, rank, or church status. The modern era saw systematic reform aimed at expanding suffrage—culminating in widespread, if uneven, universal or near-universal participation in the 19th and 20th centuries. Notable milestones include New Zealand's women’s suffrage in 1893, France's grant of voting rights in 1944, the United Kingdom's expansions in 1918–1928, and the United States’ adoption of the 15th, 19th, and 26th amendments. Some jurisdictions also lowered the voting age to 18 in the late 20th century, such as the U.S. 1971.

Today, suffrage remains conditional in some places, with citizenship, age, or other status determining eligibility. Ongoing movements seek to broaden or restore voting rights for marginalized groups, reflecting suffragebegan as a continuing project rather than a single historical moment.