After his death, in 1621, the same powers were vested in William Bradford as governor and Isaac Allerton as assistant.[28] In 1624 the number of assistants was increased to five and in 1633 to seven, and the governor was given a double voice.[29] The elective and legislative powers were vested in a primary assembly of all the freemen, called the "General Court," held at short intervals.

One of these meetings was called the court of elections, and at this were chosen the governor and other officers of the colony for the ensuing year.
As the number of settlements increased, it became inconvenient for freemen to attend the general courts in person, and in 1638 the representative system was definitely introduced.

Plymouth was allowed four delegates, and each of the other towns two, and they, with the governor and his council of assistants, constituted the law-making body of the colony.

To be entitled to hold office or vote at the court of elections, the person had to be "a freeman"; and to acquire this character, he had to be specially chosen one of the company at one of the general courts.

Thus suffrage was regarded as a privilege and not a right.[30] Although the first of the colonies to establish a Separatist church, the Puritans of Plymouth did not make church-membership a condition of citizenship; still, there can be no doubt that this restriction practically prevailed at Plymouth, since up to 1643 only about two hundred and thirty persons acquired the suffrage.