Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Brazil on 3 May 1933 to elect the 214 directly elected deputies of an Assembly that would draw up a new constitution. A further 40 members were indirectly elected: 18 by trade unions, 17 by employer organisations, three by members of liberal professions and two by civil servants.[1] The elections have been described as the first democratic and honest elections in the country's history.[2][3]
They were also the first national elections with women's suffrage, although it was still limited to married women, unmarried women with their own income and widows.[4] Carlota Pereira de Queirós became the first woman elected to national office.[4]
Electoral system
editThe elections were held using open list proportional representation.[5] Voters could cast preferential votes for candidates from multiple parties.[5]
Despite the voting age being reduced from 21 to 18 and women's suffrage being introduced, the number of registered voters fell from 1,893,000 in 1930 to 1,466,700.[6][7]
Results
editA total of 1,037 candidates contested the elections.[8]
Aftermath
editThe Assembly began work in November 1933 and the new constitution drafted by the Assembly was promulgated in July 1934. It provided for a federal state with a bicameral parliament, but abolished the position of vice president.[9] The Assembly was then converted into a Chamber of Deputies and elected Getúlio Vargas as president.[9]
References
edit- ^ Teresa Cristina de Novaes Marques (2021). Women's Vote in Brazil. p. 94.
- ^ Michael L. Conniff & Frank D. McCann (1991). Modern Brazil: Elites and Masses in Historical Perspective. p. 33.
- ^ Riordan Roett (2016). Brazil: What Everyone Needs to Know. pp. 31–32.
- ^ a b "Direito de voto feminino completa 76 anos no Brasil; saiba mais sobre essa conquista". Poder. 24 February 2008.
- ^ a b Jairo Nicolau (2007). "The open-list electoral system in Brazil" (PDF). Dados. 3.
- ^ Dieter Nohlen (2005). Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II. p. 173. ISBN 978-0-19-928358-3.
- ^ "Boletim Eleitoral" (PDF). 13 June 1934.
- ^ "Eleições 1933". TSE.
- ^ a b Brazil, a Country Study. 1983. p. 41.