universal suffrage

American  

noun

1. suffrage for all persons over a certain age, usually 18 or 21, who in other respects satisfy the requirements established by law.

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Etymology

Origin of universal suffrage

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Somalians turned out in droves on Thursday to vote in local elections in the capital Mogadishu -- the first by universal suffrage in nearly 60 years -- with the city locked down amid security concerns.

From Barron's

Before he started his four-year term, Tik vowed to get fellow lawmakers to debate the hot-button issue of universal suffrage to elect Hong Kong's leader.

From Barron's

The trick was that the Declaration of Independence wasn’t about universal suffrage.

From Salon

The voting is done by direct universal suffrage in a single ballot.

From Seattle Times

Iran holds regular elections for president and parliament with universal suffrage.

From Seattle Times