Wisconsin Women Suffrage in School Matters Referendum, Question 1 (1886)

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The Wisconsin Women Suffrage in School Matters Amendment was a Wisconsin referendum / legislatively-referred state statute on the November 2, 1886 ballot in Wisconsin, where it was approved.

• This referendum sought to provide women the right to vote in elections relating to school matters.

Election results

Question 1
Result		Votes	Percentage
a Yes		43,581	52.77%
No		38,998	47.23%

Official results via: Wisconsin Blue Book 2011 - 2012

Text of measure

The language that appeared on the ballot:

For Woman Suffrage in School Matters...☐
Against Woman Suffrage in School Matters...☐

Legal changes

CHAPTER 211. An act relating to the exercise of the right of suffrage by women upon school matters. The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows: Section 1. Every woman who is a citizen of this state, of the age of twenty-one years or upwards except paupers, persons under guardianship, and persons otherwise excluded by section 2; of article 8, of the constitution of Wisconsin, who has resided within the state one year, and in the election district where she offers to vote, ten days next preceding any election pertaining to school matters, shall have a right to vote at such election. SECTION 2. At the general e lection to be held on the Tuesday next succeeding the first Monday in November, A. D. 1885, at all the usual places of holding elections in this state, for the election of all officers required by law then to be elected, the question whether this act shall go into effect or in any manner be in force, shall be submitted to the people, and if the same shall be approved by a majority of all the votes cast on that subject, it shall go into effect and be in force from and after the date of said election, otherwise it shall not go into effect, or in any manner be in force. SECTION 3. The votes cast upon the subject specified in the last preceding section, shall be by separate ballot, and shall have written or printed or partly written and partly printed on each of them, the words, "For woman Suffrage in school matters," or "Against woman Suffrage in school matters," which words shall indicate vote of the elector for or against the approval of this act; and the ballots so cast shall be canvassed and returned in the same manner as the votes cast for state officers are required by law to be canvassed, and the secretary of state shall immediately on the completion of said canvass, publish a statement of the result thereof, In some newspaper printed at the seat of government, and shall communicate the same to the next legislature at the commencement of its session. SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication. Approved April 1, 1885

Path to the ballot

• Law submission: Ch.211 (1885)

See also

Suggest a link

• 1886 ballot measures
• Wisconsin 1886 ballot measures
• List of Wisconsin ballot measures

External links

• The Wisconsin Blue Book 1887