Reform Act

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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 to complete the democratic project of one person, one vote, one value.

• Reform Act may refer to:
  • The Reform Act 1832, which gave representation to previously underrepresented urban areas and extended the qualifications for voting.
  • The Reform Act 1867. which widened the franchise and adjusted representation to be more equitable.
  • The Ballot Act 1872 (sometimes called the "Reform Act of 1872"), which introduced the secret ballot.
  • The Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 (sometimes called the "Reform Act of 1883"), which introduced campaign spending limits.
  • The Reform Act 1884, which allowed people in counties to vote on the same basis as those in towns
  • The Reform Act 1885, which split most multi-member constituencies into multiple single-member ones.

Electoral reform in the United Kingdom

Parliamentary Reform Acts

England (1832) | Scotland (1832) | Ireland (1832)

England (1867) | Scotland (1868) | Ireland (1868)

Municipal Reform Acts

Scotland (1833) | England (1835) | Ireland (1840)

Representation of the People Acts

1884 | 1918 | 1928 | 1948 | 1949

1969 | 1983 | 1985 | 1989 | 2000

Other acts

Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 | Ballot Act 1872

Corrupt and Illegal Practices Prevention Act 1883 | Electoral Administration Act 2006

Related

Reform Club | Carlton Club | Rotten borough | Women's suffrage