| Election Name: | 1822 Portuguese legislative election |
| Country: | Portugal |
| Flag Year: | 1816 |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1820 Portuguese legislative election |
| Previous Year: | 1820 |
| Next Election: | 1826 Portuguese legislative election |
| Next Year: | 1826 |
| Election Date: | 22 November 1822 |
| Seats For Election: | 154 seats to the Chamber of Deputies |
| Majority Seats: | 78 |
Parliamentary elections were held in Portugal on 22 November 1822.[1] The elections were the only vote held under the 1822 constitution, which provided for a unicameral legislature.[2]
The Liberal Revolution of 1820 would lead to the 1820 Portuguese elections and to the Constituent Cortes of 1820.[3] The Constituent Cortes would approve the Portuguese Constitution of 1822, along with alterations to the electoral system that would be implemented in 1822.[4]
Unlike in 1820, when an indirect system was used, members of the new 118-seat legislature were elected directly by secret vote according to the electoral law passed on 11 July 1822;[1] [2] 111 were elected from multi-member constituencies (102 on the mainland and 9 on islands) with between three and six seats, with an additional seven single-member constituencies representing overseas colonies.[1]
A two-round system was used, with candidates needing to receive at least 50% of the vote in the first round to be elected; in the second round only a plurality was required.[5]
All men over the age of 25 were enfranchised except members of religious orders, servants, vagabonds and those still dependent on their parents.[2] Men who were married, serving in the military, had graduated from university or were part of the secular clergy were allowed to vote if they were aged 20 or over.[2] In comparison with the previous election of 1820, this election would also restrict voting rights to the literate.[6]
| Minho | Arcos de Valdevez, Barcelos, Braga, Guimarães, Penafiel, Porto | 25 | |
| Trás-os-Montes | Bragança, Vila Real | 9 | |
| Arganil, Aveiro, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Feira, Guarda, Lamego, Trancoso, Viseu | 32 | ||
| Estremadura | Alenquer, Leiria, Lisboa, Setúbal, Tomar | 23 | |
| Alentejo | Beja, Évora, Portalegre | 9 | |
| Algarve | Faro | 4 | |
| Outside of mainland Portugal | |||
| Adjacent Islands | Madeira (3) and Açores (3) | 6 | |
| Brasil | Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Pará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Negro, Santa Catarina, São Paulo | 39 | |
| Colonies | Angola (1), Cabo Verde (2), São Tomé e Príncipe (1), Moçambique (1), Goa (1), Macau, Timor e Solor (1) | 7 | |
The Vilafrancada (27 May 1823) would mark the beginning of the end of the 1822 constitution and a return to absolutism. The parliament held its last session on 2 June 1823, when it approved a declaration against any change to the 1822 constitution.[7] Two days later, John VI of Portugal signs a letter declaring that the constitution needs reform and later summons the Portuguese Cortes. The Septembrism movement would reinstate the 1822 constitution (12 September 1836 - 4 April 1838).