Suffrage (from the Latin suffragium, meaning "voting tablet", and figuratively "right to vote", and originally a term for the pastern bone used to cast votes) is the civil right to vote, or the exercise of that right. In that context, it is also called political franchise or simply the franchise. Suffrage is very valuable to the extent that there are opportunities to vote (e.g., initiatives, referendums, or elections). Therefore, suffrage varies in two dimensions: who is eligible to vote and voting opportunities. Suffrage was also a part of the Jacksonian democracy. In simpler words, suffrage means the right to vote.

In most democracies, eligible voters can vote in elections of representatives. Voting on substantiate issues via initiative may be available in some jurisdictions but not others. For example, Switzerland permits initiatives at all levels of government whereas United States does not offer initiatives at the federal level or in many states. That new constitutions must be approved by referendum is considered a de facto natural law.

Typically citizens become eligible to vote after reaching the age of legal adulthood. Most democracies no longer extend different voting rights on the basis of sex or race. Resident aliens can vote in some countries and in others exceptions are made for citizens of countries with which they have close links (e.g. some members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and the members of the European Union).