THE FIRST REGULAR ELECTIONS
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General elections - In 1821, the first general elections in Brazil took place, with the purpose of choosing deputies for the Lisbon court. Those elected had to discuss and approve the first constitution of the Portuguese monarchy.

The elections for the Lisbon court followed guidelines from the Spanish Constitution of 1812 - adopted by the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarve - and were carried out in four steps: citizens of every parish, with no restrictions, elected compromisers to choose parish voters. These appointed the district voters, who finally would choose the deputies.

These elections lasted several months due to their countless formalities, and some provinces were not even able to elect their deputies.

A parochial voter was named for every 200 "fires". A fire was a household in which a person or family independently inhabited. One building could have two or more fires.