Electoral roll questions

[VivienR]

I have a few questions about the New Zealand electoral rolls on Ancestry.  I understand that registering was compulsory if you were of voting age - how accurate do you think the rolls are.  I've found several women who say married but there is no spouse listed in the same household.  So where are these missing men?  Working away from home?

I know women weren't eligible to vote until 1893.  Do you think that most if not all women registered if they were eligible.
Thanks for any help you can give me.

Vivien

[spades]

Hi VivienR,

The vast majority of women registered in 1893, and also turned out to vote.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/018py/ 

Regarding missing husbands, their occupations might have required them to travel so they appeared in other rolls other than their residential one.

Spades

[VivienR]

Thanks Spades - interesting article.
New Zealand men must have been very progressive in 1893.  Canadian women didn't get the right to vote until 1919.

Regards
Vivien

[spades]

Hi Vivien,

As far as I'm aware New Zealand was the first country to gain female suffrage.

Spades