suffrätt

Suffrätt is the legal right to participate in elections, including voting for representatives and in referendums. The scope of suffrage is usually defined by citizenship, age, residency, and sometimes other conditions such as not currently imprisoned. In many countries, suffrage may vary by level of government; for example, some places allow non-citizen residents to vote in local elections, while others restrict voting to citizens.

Historically, many electoral systems limited suffrage to property owners, men, or members of certain social groups. Over the 19th and 20th centuries, reforms gradually expanded the franchise toward universal adult suffrage, often following social movements such as the women’s suffrage campaign and civil rights struggles. The result in most modern democracies is that adult citizens have the right to vote in national elections, with variations by jurisdiction in terms of age threshold and eligibility.

Today, suffrage is typically protected by constitutional or statutory guarantees, but restrictions can still apply, for example for non-citizens in some countries, or for those with certain criminal convictions. The term suffrage is often contrasted with the broader notion of enfranchisement, which may also include the right to stand as a candidate, or to be elected, not just to vote.