Reform Act
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OK, it's not really a disambiguation page.
In the [[United Kingdom]], '''Reform Act''' is a generic term used for legislation concerning electoral matters. It is most commonly used for laws passed to enfranchise new groups of voters and to redistribute seats in the [[British House of Commons]]. The periodic redrawing of constituency boundaries is now dealt with by a permanent [[Boundary Commission]] in each part of the United Kingdom, rather than by a '''Reform Act'''.
Some people in Britain, mostly associated with the [[Liberal Democrats]], have called for a new "Great Reform Act" to introduce electoral changes they favour. These would include lowering the minimum voting age to 16 and introducing [[proportional representation]].
'''Reform Act''' may refer to:
* [[Reform Act 1832]], which gave representation to previously underrepresented urban areas and extended the qualifications for voting
* [[Reform Act 1867]], which widened the franchise and adjusted representation to be more equitable
* [[Ballot Act 1872]] (sometimes called the "Reform Act of 1872"), which introduced the secret ballot
[[Image:VotingbyGender.PNG|right|300px]]
* [[Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883]] (sometimes called the "Reform Act of 1883"), which introduced campaign spending limits
*[[Reform Act 1884]], which allowed people in counties to vote on the same basis as those in towns. Home ownership was the only qualification
* [[Reform Act 1885]], which split most multi-member constituencies into multiple single-member ones
* [[Reform Act 1918]], which abolished property qualifications for men and introduced limited female suffrage
* [[Reform Act 1928]], which widened suffrage by giving women electoral equality with men
[[Category:British laws]]
[[Category:History of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Politics of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:United Kingdom constitution]]