Abstract
The 1848 electoral law of the Kingdom of Sardinia was often criticized because less than 2% of the population was eligible to vote. Voters had to be literate male, be at least the age of 25 and pay a certain level of taxation. Although the right to vote was restricted, the law introduced the principle of one man one vote, and voters cast their ballots secretly and directly. The voting system was based on the single-member constituency and on a two-ballot majoritarian system. This paper discusses the 1848 electoral law focusing on the relationship between enfranchisement and nation building (referring the articles written by Benso di Cavour who was a member of a commission that drafted the law).
