Women gained the right to vote in 1920 in the United States, three years behind Russia and Canada, but 91 years ahead of Saudi Arabia, as noted by this map depicting the year women became eligible to vote in each country. Countries began joining the fray en masse by the mid-twentieth century, but the leader of the pack comes from far down under — women in New Zealand obtained voting rights in 1893.
Photo: Cuba Holidays
The Year Women Became Eligible to Vote in Each Country
A quick glance at the map tells only part of the story, however. Pay close attention to the asterisks, as the year noted for some countries signifies only limited suffrage. This often means voting was only allowed for white women or in conjunction with specific requirements, such as homeownership or marriage. Belgium’s 1919 suffrage granted widows and the mothers of servicemen killed in World War I, or widows and mothers of servicemen “shot and killed by the enemy” the vote, but didn’t extend the same rights to all women until 1948. Australia granted some women the right to vote in 1902, but excluded First Nations.
For more details, zoom in on the full timeline below.
Photo: Cuba Holidays