proximately 300,000, which was somewhat over half of
the kingdom's total female population of the requisite age.[815] April
30, 1910, the Constitutional Committee of the Storthing, by a majority
of four to three, recommended that parliamentary suffrage be extended
to women on equal terms with men, i.e., without reference to taxpaying
qualifications. The recommendation was rejected, but during the next
month the Odelsthing voted, 71 to 10, and the Lagthing, 24 to 7, to
apply the principle of it in municipal elections. Thus the municipal
electorate was enlarged by approximately 200,000, and the way was
prepared, as many believe, for the adoption eventually of the
Committee's original recommendation. Prior to an amendment of May 25,
1905, parliamentary elections were indirect. In the urban districts
one elector was chosen for every fifty voters, and in the rural
districts, one for every one hundred. Now, however, elections are
direct. Each petty political unit having a municipal government of its
own comprises a voting precinct. If at the first ballot no candidate
in the district receives a majority of all the votes cast, a second
ballot is taken, when a simple plurality is decisive. A noteworthy
feature of the system is the fact that voters who on account of
illness, military service, or other valid reason, are unable to appear
at the polls are permitted to transmit their votes in writing to the
proper election officials.

[Footnote 815: At the election of 1909 the total
number of parliamentary electors was 785,358. The
number of votes recorded, however, was but
487,193.]

*642. Qualifications, Sessions, and Organization.*--No one may be (p. 583)
chosen a member of the Storthing unless he or she is thirty years
of age, a resident of the kingdom of ten years' standing, and a
qualified voter in the election district in which he or she is chosen;
but a former member of the Council of State, if otherwise qualified,
may be elected to represent any district.[816] Under recent
legislation every member of the Storthing receives a salary of three
thousand kroner a year, in addition to travelling expenses. The
Storthing meets in regular session annually, without regard to summons
by the crown. The constitution fixed originally as the date of
convening the first week-day after October 10 of each year; but, May
28, 1907, the Storthing adopted an amendment