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Field Listing :: Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.
Angola
18 years of age; universal
Argentina
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Aruba
18 years of age; universal
Australia
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Austria
16 years of age; universal; note - reduced from 18 years of age in 2007
Belgium
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Belize
18 years of age; universal
Benin
18 years of age; universal
Bhutan
18 years of age; universal
Bolivia
18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)
Brazil
voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not vote
Brunei
18 years of age for village elections; universal
Burma
18 years of age; universal
Burundi
18 years of age; universal (adult)
Canada
18 years of age; universal
Chad
18 years of age; universal
Chile
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
China
18 years of age; universal
Costa Rica
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Croatia
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Cuba
16 years of age; universal
Cyprus
18 years of age; universal
Dominican Republic
18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age; note - members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote
Ecuador
16 years of age; universal, compulsory for persons ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters
Egypt
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Estonia
18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens
Fiji
21 years of age; universal
France
18 years of age; universal
Gabon
21 years of age; universal
Ghana
18 years of age; universal
Gibraltar
18 years of age; universal; and British citizens who have been residents six months or more
Greece
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Guam
18 years of age; universal; US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Guatemala
18 years of age; universal; note - active duty members of the armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day
Guinea
18 years of age; universal
Guyana
18 years of age; universal
Haiti
18 years of age; universal
Honduras
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Hong Kong
direct election - 18 years of age for half the legislature and a majority of seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years
indirect election - limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and an 800-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, and municipal organizations
India
18 years of age; universal
Indonesia
17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age
Iran
18 years of age; universal
Iraq
18 years of age; universal
Israel
18 years of age; universal
Italy
18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)
Japan
20 years of age; universal
Jersey
16 years of age; universal
Jordan
18 years of age; universal
Kenya
18 years of age; universal
Kosovo
18 years of age; universal
Kuwait
21 years of age; universal (adult); note - males in the military or police are not allowed to vote; adult females were allowed to vote as of 16 May 2005; all voters must have been citizens for 20 years
Laos
18 years of age; universal
Latvia
18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Lebanon
21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at age 21 with elementary education; excludes military personnel
Libya
18 years of age; universal and technically compulsory
Luxembourg
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Macau
direct election 18 years of age for some non-executive positions, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
Malawi
18 years of age; universal
Mali
18 years of age; universal
Malta
18 years of age; universal
Mexico
18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)
Monaco
18 years of age; universal
Nauru
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Nepal
18 years of age; universal
Niger
18 years of age; universal
Niue
18 years of age; universal
Northern Mariana Islands
18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Norway
18 years of age; universal
Oman
21 years of age; universal; note - members of the military and security forces are not allowed to vote
Pakistan
18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims
Palau
18 years of age; universal
Panama
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Paraguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75
Peru
18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70
Poland
18 years of age; universal
Puerto Rico
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Qatar
18 years of age; universal
Russia
18 years of age; universal
Rwanda
18 years of age; universal
Samoa
21 years of age; universal
Serbia
18 years of age; universal
Singapore
21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Slovenia
18 years of age, 16 if employed; universal
Spain
18 years of age; universal
Sudan
17 years of age; universal
Sweden
18 years of age; universal
Syria
18 years of age; universal
Taiwan
20 years of age; universal
Thailand
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Togo
18 years of age; universal (adult)
Tonga
21 years of age; universal
Tunisia
18 years of age; universal except for active government security forces (including the police and the military), people with mental disabilities, people who have served more than three months in prison (criminal cases only), and people given a suspended sentence of more than six months
Turkey
18 years of age; universal
Tuvalu
18 years of age; universal
Uganda
18 years of age; universal
Uruguay
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Virgin Islands
18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Western Sahara
none; (residents of Moroccan-controlled Western Sahara participate in Moroccan elections)
Yemen
18 years of age; universal
Zambia
18 years of age; universal