Governor Lord Glasgow’s signing of the Electoral Bill marks New Zealand as the first nation globally to grant national voting rights to women.
This bill resulted from years of suffragette gatherings in various towns and cities, where women frequently traveled long distances to attend lectures, hear speeches, pass resolutions, and sign petitions. In November 1893, women in New Zealand participated in their first national elections.
In 1920, the United States granted women the right to vote, and in 1928, Great Britain secured full voting rights for women.
Since the early 20th century, women have been involved in government in Australia. After the federation, the Commonwealth of Australia’s government enacted the Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902, which enabled most women to vote and run in the federal elections of 1903. Before federation, South Australia and Western Australia had already allowed women the vote, while New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, and Victoria also established laws permitting women’s participation in government at state and local levels following federation. However, Indigenous Australian women did not gain suffrage across all levels of government in every state and territory until 1962.
Despite Australia being the first country to permit women to stand for election, it was not until 1943 that a woman succeeded in a federal election.
