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 st...
Main article image
Anti Suffrage Postcard c.1908 03.jpg
Anti Suffrage Postcards c.1908
Child Safe Zone (8672) - The Noun Project.svg
Child Safe Zone (8672) - The Noun Project.svg icon from the Noun Project
HumanRightsLogo.svg
Human rights logo
Manifestace za hlasovací právo 1905.jpg
Demonstration for universal right to vote in Prague in the Old Town Square on the 28th of November 1...
Peterloo Massacre.png
To Henry Hunt, Esq., as chairman of the meeting assembled in St. Peter's Field, Manchester, sixteent...
SPD-Plakat 1919.jpg
Plakat der Sozialdemokratischen Partei Deutschlands (SPD) zu den Wahlen zur Weimarer Nationalversamm...
Scholia logo.svg
SVG remake of proposal for Scholia logo (Scholia logo.png by Theklan).
Social sciences.svg
Iconic image for social science.
The national convention. As it met on Monday the 4th of February, 1839, at the British Coffee House ca. 1839 LCCN2004669356.jpg
Title: The national convention. As it met on Monday the 4th of February, 1839, at the British Coffe...
Universal suffrage granted to women, OWID.svg
:Universal suffrage granted to women
This map shows, for any given year, whether universal suffrage...
Voters standing in the queue to cast their votes, at a polling booth, during the 9th Phase of General Elections-2014, in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on May 12, 2014.jpg
Voters standing in the queue to cast their votes, at a polling booth, during the 9th Phase of Genera...
Votes For Women.jpg
Poster - Votes for Women
Woman suffrage headquarters in Upper Euclid Avenue, Cleveland.jpg
Woman suffrage headquarters in Upper Euclid Avenue, Cleveland--A. (at extreme right) is Miss Belle S...