6th August 1965: Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act into law during the height of the Civil Rights movement

The Voting Rights Act outlawed literacy tests and authorised federal officials to oversee voter registration in jurisdictions with a history of discrimination, resulting in a substantial increase in voter registration and political participation among African Americans in the years that followed.

7th June 1832: The Great Reform Act becomes law, significantly changing the electoral system of the UK

Officially known as the Representation of the People Act 1832, the Great Reform Act was introduced to improve the outdated and unrepresentative electoral system in England and Wales by eliminating rotten boroughs, creating new constituencies to represent industrial towns, and standardising voting qualifications.

12th December 2000: Bush v. Gore decision reached by the United States Supreme Court

In a momentous decision the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, effectively halted the ongoing manual recount in Florida and handed Florida’s electoral votes to George W. Bush. This secured his victory in the state and, consequently, the presidency.