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The term franchise in its electoral sense denotes a right of voting at
elections and the qualifications upon which the right is based.
The word franchise has various significations, both in popular and in a
legal sense, and there is some confusion arising from a failure to
discriminate in what sense the word is used. In a broad and popular sense,
it embraces in a free country the right of trial by jury, the right of
habeus corpus, and political rights of subjects and citizens like the
elective franchise. ….. [Chicago vs. Dunber, 95 III, 575].
In a strict legal sense franchises are special privileges which are
conferred by government on individuals, and which do not belong to the
citizens of the country generally of common right. ….. [State vs.
Philadelphia R. Co., 24 Am. Rep. 511]
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