Disenfranchising Act
Encyclopedia
The Disenfranchising Act was an Act of Parliament
of the Parliament of Ireland
passed in 1727, one of a series of penal law
s, prohibiting all Roman Catholics from voting
. Its full title is "An Act for the further regulating the Election of Members of Parliament, and preventing the irregular Proceedings of Sheriffs and other Officers in electing and returning such Members" and its citation is 1 Geo II c.9. It received royal assent
on 6 May 1728.
At that time elections were held only on the start of a new reign, and so the Act followed the death of George I
in 1727 and came into practical effect from 1728. The Act was repealed in 1793, allowing the vote to all males holding a property with a rental value of at least two pounds annually.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
passed in 1727, one of a series of penal law
Penal law
In the most general sense, penal is the body of laws that are enforced by the State in its own name and impose penalties for their violation, as opposed to civil law that seeks to redress private wrongs...
s, prohibiting all Roman Catholics from voting
Voting
Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion—often following discussions, debates, or election campaigns. It is often found in democracies and republics.- Reasons for voting :...
. Its full title is "An Act for the further regulating the Election of Members of Parliament, and preventing the irregular Proceedings of Sheriffs and other Officers in electing and returning such Members" and its citation is 1 Geo II c.9. It received royal assent
Royal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
on 6 May 1728.
At that time elections were held only on the start of a new reign, and so the Act followed the death of George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
in 1727 and came into practical effect from 1728. The Act was repealed in 1793, allowing the vote to all males holding a property with a rental value of at least two pounds annually.