New Zealand Women Win the Vote
Parliament, Wellington, New Zealand (presumed place of the debates)
What happened
In the 1880s and 1890s, women across New Zealand campaigned for the right to vote. Led by Kate Sheppard, they sent huge petitions to Parliament; the 1893 petition had nearly 32,000 signatures. On 19 September 1893, Governor Lord Glasgow signed the bill into law, and women aged 21 and over who were British subjects, including Māori women, could vote.
Why it matters
It was a major step toward equal voting rights for women, and the campaign had been building since the Women's Christian Temperance Union formed in New Zealand in 1885.
What came next
Women voted in a general election for the first time on 28 November 1893. They won the right to stand for Parliament in 1919, and Elizabeth McCombs became the first woman Member of Parliament in 1933.
Did you know?
Supporters of the vote wore white camellias in their buttonholes, and opponents answered with red ones.
Timeline
- 1885The Women's Christian Temperance Union forms in New Zealand.
- 8 September 1893The Legislative Council passes the bill by 20 votes to 18.
- 19 September 1893Lord Glasgow signs the bill into law.
- 28 November 1893Women vote in a general election for the first time.