THE EVOLUTION OF THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM
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Circles' Law and Third Part's Law - In 1855, the district vote was instituted through the "Circles' Law".

The "Third Part Law", of 1875 (thus named due to the fact that the voter would choose two thirds of those to be voted), distinguished itself among the imperial laws for having introduced the participation of the common justice in the electoral process and for instituting the voter's registration certificate.

The legislation in force during the Empire caused the public opinion to demand direct elections and to criticize abuses and frauds; this led Counselor Saraiva to reform such legislation, and Rui Barbosa was charged with the task of drafting the new law, No. 3029/1881, known as Saraiva Law. It abolished the indirect elections and entrusted the electoral enrollment to judges, extinguishing the parochial qualification boards.