Great reform act and representation of the people act

Great reform act

• Increased voters from 440 000 to 657 000 (only 8% of adult men)

• Removed rotten boroughs and added seats in industrial towns

• Still limited to property owning men

• No secret ballot - public votes

• 1832

Importance of great reform act

First major parliamentary reform, sparked future changes

Representation of the people cat

• All men 21+ could vote

• Some women aged 30+ could vote but only if husband owned property

• Men voters grew from 7.7 million to 12.9 million

• Women voters grew to 8.5 million

• Equal constituencies

• 1918

Importance of the great representation of the people act

Create mass democracy and recognised women’s role in society

1867 reform act

• Vote for urban working class men

1884 reform act

• Vote for rural working class men

1928 Equal franchise

• Equal voting age for men and women (21)

1969

• Voting age became 18, young people included.