Sáenz Peña Law

It was approved during the presidency of Roque Sáenz-Peña, main supporter of the law, and was published in the official government bulletin on 13 February 1912.

[2] The right to vote was not extended to immigrants due to concerns among the governing elite that migrants would back "extremist" parties.

Interior Minister Indalecio Gómez proposed a reform that left the compilation of the electoral list in the hands of the War Ministry (males over 18 were recorded when called for conscription), and the judicial branch was put in charge of dictating who would organize the elections and who would be allowed to vote.

The conservatives, who had stayed in power for decades through dubious and fraudulent elections, could not consolidate a political party without popular support.

As a consequence of the law, all political parties had to reorganize themselves, revising their regulations, creating electoral platforms, opening local seats and periodically gathering in assemblies.