The Parliament of Norway in 1901 granted municipal suffrage to all
women who in the country districts pay taxes on an income of 300 crowns
(about $75), and in the cities on one of 400 crowns; and they were made
eligible to serve on councils and grand and petit juries. After
strenuous effort on the part of women the Parliament of 1907, by a vote
of 96 to 23, conferred the complete franchise on all who possessed the
municipal. This included about 300,000 of the half-million women. They
were made eligible for Parliament, and at the first election in 1909
one was elected as alternate or deputy, and took her seat with a most
enthusiastic welcome from the other members. In 1910, by a vote of 71
to 10, the taxpaying qualification for the municipal vote was removed.
In 1911, a bill to abolish it for the full suffrage was carried by a
large majority in Parliament, but lacked five votes of the necessary
two-thirds. More than twice as many women as voted in 1907 went to the
polls in 1910 at the municipal elections. Last year 178 women were
elected to city councils, nine to that of Christiania. This year 210
were elected and 379 alternates to fill vacancies that may occur.
Sweden gave municipal suffrage to tax-paying widows and spinsters in
1862. At that time and for many years afterward not one-tenth of the
men had a vote. Then came the rise of the Liberal party and the Social
Democracy, and by 1909 the new Franchise law had been enacted, which
immensely increased the number of men voters, extended the municipal
suffrage to wives, greatly reduced the tax qualification, and made
women eligible to all offices for which they could vote. At the last
election 37 were elected to the councils of 34 towns, 11 in the five
largest. The Woman Suffrage Association is said to be the best
organized body in the country, its branches extending beyond the arctic
circle. It has over 12,000 paid members and has held 1,550 meetings
within a year. In 1909 a bill to extend the full suffrage to women
passed the Second Chamber of the Parliament unanimously, but was
defeated by four to one in the First Chamber, representing the
aristocracy. This year the Suffrage Association made a strong campaign
for the Liberal and Social Democratic parties, and a large majority of
their candidates were elected. The Conservative cabinet was deposed and
the King has called for a new election of the First Chamber. As its
members are chosen by the Provincial Councils and those of the five
largest cities, and women have a vote for these bodies and are members
of them, they will greatly reduce the number of Conservative members of
the Upper House. On the final passage of a suffrage bill the two
chambers must vote jointly and it seems assured of a majority.
Denmark's Parliament in 1908 gave the municipal suffrage to women on
the same terms as exercised by men--that is, to all over 25 years of
age who pay any taxes. Property owned by husband or wife or in common
entitles each to a vote. At the first election 68 per cent. of all the
enfranchised women in the country, and 70 per cent. in Copenhagen,
voted. Seven were elected to the city council of 42 members and one was
afterward appointed to fill a vacancy, and 127 were elected in other
places. Women serve on all committees and are chairmen of important
ones; two are city treasurers. There are two Suffrage Associations
whose combined membership makes the organization of that country in
proportion to population the largest of the kind in the world. They
have 314 local branches and one of the associations has held 1,100
meetings during the past year. The Lower House of Parliament has passed
a bill to give women the complete franchise, which has not been acted
on by the Upper House, composed mainly of the aristocracy. The Prime
Minister and the Speakers of both houses are outspoken in advocacy of
enfranchising women, but political considerations are holding it back.
All say, however, that it will come in the near future.
Iceland, a dependency of Denmark, with its own Parliament, gave
municipal suffrage in 1882 to all widows and spinsters who were
householders or maintained a family, or were self-supporting. In 1902
it made these voters eligible to all municipal offices, and since then
a fourth of the council members of Reykjavik, the capital, have been
women. In 1909 this franchise was extended to all those who pay taxes.
A petition signed by a large majority of all the women in Iceland asked
for the complete suffrage, and during the present year the Parliament
voted to give this to all women over 25 years old. It must be acted
upon by a second Parliament, but its passage is assured, and Icelandic
women will vote on the same terms as men in 1913.