Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2019. This chapter analyzes the expansion of political participation in Brazil between 1945 and 2010. During this time, the country lived under three different political regimes: two democratic (1945-1964, 1985-2010) and one authoritarian (1964-1985). The analysis focuses on electoral participation, showing how social inequality impacted voters ability to register, turn out, and ultimately cast a valid ballot. The chapter shows how extensive voting restrictions in 1945 were along these three dimensions and how they declined over time. It also calls attention to the impact of changes in the electoral legislation on different social groups ability to exercise their voting rights.
