hand, was quite common in Europe at the time. It had been replaced by direct voting in most other German states by 1914. In Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz, there was no elected parliamentary chamber before 1918. In Hamburg and, until 1905, in Lübeck, a tax census (payment of a certain amount of tax as a prerequisite for the right to vote) applied. In Bavaria, Saxony, Hesse, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Lippe and Lübeck, the payment of direct taxes was a prerequisite for the right to vote; in Saxe-Altenburg, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Reuss-Greiz, payment of direct taxes and one's own household were required. In addition to Prussia, a three-class electoral law applied in Braunschweig, Lippe, Saxony (only 1896–1909), Saxe-Altenburg and Waldeck. In Lübeck there was a two-class electoral system, with the first class electing 105 representatives and the second only 15. Prussia, Bavaria, Württemberg, Baden, Hesse, and from 1911 Alsace-Lorraine had a parliament with two chambers; one of which was not filled by popular election. In most states with only one chamber of parliament, some of the deputies were either appointed by the sovereign or elected by certain groups (such as those most highly taxed, large landowners or academics). In Bremen (with an eight-class franchise) only 68 of the 150 seats were chosen by general suffrage; in Hamburg, 80 of 160; in Braunschweig, 30 of 48. See also Plural voting Weighted voting References Electoral systems by country Kingdom of Prussia Politics of Prussia