Statement showing number of women on rolls and those who voted, 1893
On 28 November, 1893 New Zealand women first went to the polls to cast their votes in parliamentary elections. After years of suffrage campaigning that included petition writing, electoral activists achieved a significant victory – on 19 September 1893 the electoral franchise was finally extended to women. The Electoral Act 1893 allowed for eligible women to cast their votes in parliamentary elections. It carved out New Zealand’s place in history for being the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote.
On the day polling booths for those on the general roll were not too dissimilar from today’s in that it was a private affair, a secret ballot. But, for those voting in the Māori electorates votes were cast by a show of hands. There was no anonymity for Māori and for many no choice on which roll to register. That decision was dependent on a person’s blood quantum; ‘half-caste’ Māori could choose either roll, but those who were categorised as more than half or closer to being ‘full-blooded’ Māori could only register and vote in the Māori electorates. Māori marriage to a British citizen did not give access to voting on the general roll.
In addition, those classified as 'aliens' did not met the 1893 electoral criteria. Before 1914 an ‘alien’ was merely someone who did not have British citizenship. Apart from Chinese and to a lesser extent other Asian peoples, there was, for many years, little restriction on aliens.
All in all, approximately 94,290 women voted in 1893. 90,290 women went to the voting booths on 28 November and up to 4,000 three weeks later, as voting in the Māori electorates opened on a different day, 20 December.
This image above shows the number of women on the general rolls and those who voted. Follow this link to view the entire digitised file - ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServle...
Archives New Zealand reference: ACGO 8333 658/ [15] 1894/731
collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search#/?q=R24761508
Caption information from Te Ara: teara.govt.nz/en/voting-rights/page-4
For more information use our “ask an archivist” link on our website: www.archives.govt.nz
Material from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Statement showing number of women on rolls and those who voted, 1893
On 28 November, 1893 New Zealand women first went to the polls to cast their votes in parliamentary elections. After years of suffrage campaigning that included petition writing, electoral activists achieved a significant victory – on 19 September 1893 the electoral franchise was finally extended to women. The Electoral Act 1893 allowed for eligible women to cast their votes in parliamentary elections. It carved out New Zealand’s place in history for being the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote.
On the day polling booths for those on the general roll were not too dissimilar from today’s in that it was a private affair, a secret ballot. But, for those voting in the Māori electorates votes were cast by a show of hands. There was no anonymity for Māori and for many no choice on which roll to register. That decision was dependent on a person’s blood quantum; ‘half-caste’ Māori could choose either roll, but those who were categorised as more than half or closer to being ‘full-blooded’ Māori could only register and vote in the Māori electorates. Māori marriage to a British citizen did not give access to voting on the general roll.
In addition, those classified as 'aliens' did not met the 1893 electoral criteria. Before 1914 an ‘alien’ was merely someone who did not have British citizenship. Apart from Chinese and to a lesser extent other Asian peoples, there was, for many years, little restriction on aliens.
All in all, approximately 94,290 women voted in 1893. 90,290 women went to the voting booths on 28 November and up to 4,000 three weeks later, as voting in the Māori electorates opened on a different day, 20 December.
This image above shows the number of women on the general rolls and those who voted. Follow this link to view the entire digitised file - ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServle...
Archives New Zealand reference: ACGO 8333 658/ [15] 1894/731
collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search#/?q=R24761508
Caption information from Te Ara: teara.govt.nz/en/voting-rights/page-4
For more information use our “ask an archivist” link on our website: www.archives.govt.nz
Material from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga