Which nation was the first to grant women the right to vote nationally?

New Zealand was the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote in national elections, doing so in 1893.

The Electoral Act became law on 19 September 1893 after years of campaigning by women’s organizations. Kate Sheppard was the movement’s best-known leader, and a large petition supporting women’s suffrage helped persuade members of Parliament. New Zealand women voted in the general election held later that year.

The achievement did not immediately provide complete political equality. Women could vote, but they could not stand for Parliament until 1919, and Māori women’s political experiences were shaped by the country’s distinct constitutional history. Australia followed in 1902 at the federal level, although Indigenous Australians were excluded from the federal franchise in many circumstances. Finland was the first in Europe to grant women both voting and parliamentary candidacy rights, in 1906.