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. Carlota Pereira de Queirós became the first woman elected to national office.[4]
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]
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. The Assembly was then converted into a Chamber of Deputies and elected Getúlio Vargas as president.[9]