The document summarizes four key laws passed between 1867 and 1928 that helped introduce equal voting rights in Britain: The 1867 Reform Act gave the vote to working-class men for the first time, allowing one-third of men to vote. However, two-thirds of men and all women were still excluded. The 1884 Reform Act further increased voting rights for working-class men, giving all men in towns and cities the vote regardless of property ownership. Still, one-third of men and all women lacked the right to vote. The 1918 Act gave all men over age 21 the right to vote, and some property-owning women over 30, but most women remained disenfranchised.

2. Equal votingEqual voting
There were four key
laws passed between
1867 and 1928 which
helped introduce
equal voting to Britain
i.e. all adults can vote
on an equal basis,
regardless of gender,
income, etc.

3. 1867, Second Reform Act1867, Second Reform Act
This law gave the vote to
working class men for the first
ever time (meaning 1/3 of men
in the UK could vote).
Men who owned property or
paid rent of £10+ per year had
the right to vote.

4. 1867, Second Reform Act1867, Second Reform Act
This law was known as the
‘leap in the dark’ because it
was such a major change.
Although it was a huge reform,
2/3 of men and all women
were still excluded from voting. Giving the vote to working class
men was described as a ‘leap in
the dark’ because no-one knew
what the outcome would be

5. 1884, Third Reform Act1884, Third Reform Act
This report significantly
increased the chances for
working class men to vote.
All men in towns and cities had
the vote on an equal basis
(property owners, £10+ rent).
2/3 of men could now vote.

6. 1884, Third Reform Act1884, Third Reform Act
Again a significant reform
however one that still left a
third of all men unable to vote.
Not only this, no women at all
had gained the franchise.

7. 1918, Representation of1918, Representation of
the People Actthe People Act
All men age 21+ now had the
right to vote, regardless of
income or other qualification.
The biggest change was that
some women gained the vote;
30+, property owners, etc.

8. 1918, Representation of1918, Representation of
the People Actthe People Act
Significant change to give all
men the vote and introduce the
first ever female franchise.
However still not democratic if
large numbers of women
(60%) excluded purely based
on their gender.

9. 1928, Equal1928, Equal
Franchise ActFranchise Act
Finally gave all women
age 21+ the vote,
giving them voting
equality with men.
No qualifications e.g.
income, gender, etc.

10. 1928, Equal Franchise1928, Equal Franchise
ActAct
Voting now took place on an
equal basis in the UK (all
adults over 21, regardless of
gender, income, etc).
However some complained
that voting should be 18+. This
would not happen until 1967.