China’s first modern elections were held when it was still an absolute monarchy under the Qing dynasty (1644- 1911). The Tianjin county council was elected in 1907 and elections for provincial assemblies and municipal councils in 21 out of 22 provinces were held to assuage discontent against the Qing court. The political franchise was strictly limited, however, and only the gentry could run for office or vote. Most of the representatives elected were constitutional monarchists, who went on to elect 100 members to the National Assembly, with the other 100 appointed by the court. Several national and regional elections were subsequently held but they were of little consequence in the turbulent decades of civil war, revolution and foreign invasion.