Constitutional Assembly elections were held in Brazil on 3 May 1933 to elect the 214 directly elected deputies of an Assembly that would draw up a new constitution. A further 40 members were indirectly elected: 18 by trade unions, 17 by employer organisations, three by members of liberal professions and two by civil servants.[1] The elections have been described as the first democratic and honest elections in the country's history.[2][3]
They were also the first national elections with women's suffrage, although it was still limited to married women, unmarried women with their own income and widows.[4]Carlota Pereira de Queirós became the first woman elected to national office.[4]
Electoral system
The elections were held using open list proportional representation.[5] Voters could cast preferential votes for candidates from multiple parties.[5]
Despite the voting age being reduced from 21 to 18 and women's suffrage being introduced, the number of registered voters fell from 1,893,000 in 1930 to 1,466,700.[6][7]
Results
A total of 1,037 candidates contested the elections.[8]
The Assembly began work in November 1933 and the new constitution drafted by the Assembly was promulgated in July 1934. It provided for a federal state with a bicameral parliament, but abolished the position of vice president.[9] The Assembly was then converted into a Chamber of Deputies and electedGetúlio Vargas as president.[9]
