State women's suffrage ballot measures
Women's suffrage ballot measures |
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| • Women's suffrage measures |
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| • Women's suffrage |
| • U.S. women's suffrage history |
| • Suffrage on the ballot |
The 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution was ratified on August 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment prohibited the government from denying or abridging the right to vote on account of sex.
Before the 19th Amendment, the women's suffrage movement also campaigned for changes to state constitutions to provide women with a right to vote. Suffragists Carrie Chapman Catt and Nettie Rogers Shuler, in their book Woman Suffrage and Politics (1923), wrote that state ballot measures "spun the main thread of suffrage activity" in the movement's earlier years and were seen as stepping stones to national suffrage. "I don't know the exact number of States we shall have to have," said Susan B. Anthony, "but I do know that there will come a day when that number will automatically and resistlessly act on the Congress of the United States to compel the submission of a federal suffrage amendment." When asked about federal support for women's suffrage in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt told the suffrage movement to "Go, get another State."[1]
Between 1867 and August 18, 1920, 54 ballot measures to grant women's suffrage were on the ballot in 30 states. Fifteen (15) of the ballot measures were approved, giving women the right to vote in 15 states. Since women did not have suffrage until after the ballot measures were approved, male voters decided the outcome of suffrage ballot measures.
This article covers the historical ballot measures related to women's suffrage. You will find:
- Map of states that voted on suffrage ballot measures
- List of state women's suffrage ballot measures
- List of partial suffrage ballot measures
- List of women's suffrage ballot measures after the 19th Amendment
- Statistics on women's suffrage ballot measures
Map of states that voted on suffrage ballot measures
The following is a map of which states approved and which states rejected women's suffrage ballot measures before the 19th Amendment. Suffrage was on the ballot at least once in 30 of 48 states (Alaska and Hawaii were not states until 1959). Of the 15 states that passed suffrage ballot measures, nine failed to pass measures on their first attempts. In Oregon and South Dakota, for example, suffrage measures were placed before voters at six elections before one was passed. In Utah and Wyoming, voters decided and approved women's suffrage as one provision of a ballot measure to adopt a state constitution. You can click on a state to learn more about the number of women's suffrage ballot measures that were voted on and in what years in that state.
Lists of ballot measures
State women's suffrage ballot measures
The following is a list of ballot measures to grant full suffrage to women before the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
| State | Year | Measure | "Yes" Votes | "No" Votes | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | 1867 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 31.35% (9,070) | 68.65% (19,857) | Defeated |
| Nebraska | 1871 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 21.66% (3,502) | 78.34% (12,668) | Defeated |
| Michigan | 1874 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 22.77% (40,077) | 77.23% (135,957) | Defeated |
| Colorado | 1877 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 32.00% (6,612) | 68.00% (14,053) | Defeated |
| Nebraska | 1882 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 33.69% (25,756) | 66.31% (50,693) | Defeated |
| Oregon | 1884 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 28.49% (11,223) | 71.51% (28,176) | Defeated |
| Rhode Island | 1887 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 24.16% (2,195) | 75.84% (6,889) | Defeated |
| Washington | 1889 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 31.70% (16,527) | 68.30% (35,613) | Defeated |
| Wyoming | 1889 | State Constitution Ratification Measure | 76.53% (6,272) | 23.47% (1,923) | Approved |
| South Dakota | 1890 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 33.46% (22,972) | 66.54% (45,682) | Defeated |
| Colorado | 1893 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 54.78% (35,798) | 45.22% (29,551) | Approved |
| Kansas | 1894 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 42.27% (95,302) | 57.73% (130,139) | Defeated |
| Utah | 1895 | State Constitution Ratification Measure | 80.45% (31,305) | 19.55% (7,607) | Approved |
| California | 1896 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 44.60% (110,355) | 55.40% (137,099) | Defeated |
| Idaho | 1896 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 65.87% (12,126) | 34.13% (6,282) | Approved |
| South Dakota | 1898 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 46.15% (19,698) | 53.85% (22,983) | Defeated |
| Washington | 1898 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 40.35% (20,658) | 59.65% (30,540) | Defeated |
| Oregon | 1900 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 48.05% (26,265) | 51.95% (28,402) | Defeated |
| New Hampshire | 1903 | Question 7: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 37.53% (13,089) | 62.47% (21,788) | Defeated |
| Oregon | 1906 | Measure 2: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 43.94% (36,902) | 56.06% (47,075) | Defeated |
| Oregon | 1908 | Measure 9: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 38.58% (36,858) | 61.42% (58,670) | Defeated |
| Oklahoma | 1910 | State Question 8: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 40.79% (88,808) | 59.21% (128,928) | Defeated |
| Oregon | 1910 | Measure 1: Suffrage for Women Taxpayers | 37.39% (35,270) | 62.61% (59,065) | Defeated |
| South Dakota | 1910 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 37.95% (35,290) | 62.05% (57,709) | Defeated |
| Washington | 1910 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 63.80% (52,299) | 36.20% (29,676) | Approved |
| California | 1911 | Proposition 4: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 50.73% (125,037) | 49.27% (121,450) | Approved |
| Arizona | 1912 | Questions 300 and 301: Women’s Suffrage and Right to Hold Office Amendment | 68.43% (13,442) | 31.57% (6,202) | Approved |
| Kansas | 1912 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 52.40% (175,246) | 47.60% (159,197) | Approved |
| Michigan | 1912 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 49.92% (247,375) | 50.08% (248,135) | Defeated |
| Ohio | 1912 | Ohio Amendment 23: Women's Suffrage Measure | 42.54% (249,420) | 57.46% (336,875) | Defeated |
| Oregon | 1912 | Measure 1: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 51.76% (61,265) | 48.24% (57,104) | Approved |
| Wisconsin | 1912 | Question 4: Women's Suffrage Measure | 37.41% (135,736) | 62.59% (227,054) | Defeated |
| Michigan | 1913 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 38.91% (168,738) | 61.09% (264,882) | Defeated |
| Missouri | 1914 | Issue 13: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 36.11% (182,257) | 63.89% (322,463) | Defeated |
| Montana | 1914 | Amendment 1: Women's Suffrage Measure | 52.35% (41,302) | 47.65% (37,588) | Approved |
| Nebraska | 1914 | Amendment 4: Women's Suffrage Measure | 47.36% (90,738) | 52.64% (100,842) | Defeated |
| Nevada | 1914 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 60.11% (10,936) | 39.89% (7,258) | Approved |
| North Dakota | 1914 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 44.90% (40,209) | 55.10% (49,348) | Defeated |
| Ohio | 1914 | Amendment 3: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 39.29% (335,390) | 60.71% (518,295) | Defeated |
| South Dakota | 1914 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 43.46% (39,605) | 56.54% (51,519) | Defeated |
| Massachusetts | 1915 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 35.45% (162,492) | 64.55% (295,939) | Defeated |
| New Jersey | 1915 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 41.96% (133,282) | 58.04% (184,390) | Defeated |
| New York | 1915 | Amendment 2: Women's Suffrage Measure | 42.51% (553,348) | 57.49% (748,332) | Defeated |
| Pennsylvania | 1915 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 46.63% (385,348) | 53.37% (441,034) | Defeated |
| Iowa | 1916 | Amendment 1: Women's Suffrage Measure | 48.50% (162,849) | 51.50% (172,930) | Defeated |
| South Dakota | 1916 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 47.80% (53,432) | 52.20% (58,350) | Defeated |
| West Virginia | 1916 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 28.22% (63,540) | 71.78% (161,607) | Defeated |
| Maine | 1917 | Amendment 1: Women's Suffrage Measure | 34.66% (20,604) | 65.34% (38,838) | Defeated |
| New York | 1917 | Amendment 1: Women's Suffrage Measure | 53.92% (703,129) | 46.08% (600,776) | Approved |
| Louisiana | 1918 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 45.89% (19,573) | 54.11% (23,077) | Defeated |
| Michigan | 1918 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 54.06% (229,790) | 45.94% (195,284) | Approved |
| Oklahoma | 1918 | State Question 97, Women's Suffrage Amendment | 56.75% (106,909) | 43.25% (81,481) | Approved |
| South Dakota | 1918 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 63.02% (49,318) | 36.98% (28,934) | Approved |
| Texas | 1919 | Proposition 2: Women's Suffrage Amendment | 45.93% (141,773) | 54.07% (166,893) | Defeated |
State partial women's suffrage ballot measures
The following is a list of ballot measures to grant partial suffrage to women before the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The types of partial suffrage that ballot measures addressed included voting in school affairs and elections, voting in local elections, and voting in presidential elections.
| State | Year | Measure | "Yes" Votes | "No" Votes | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 1875 | Amendment 2: Women's Suffrage in School Affairs Measure | 55.56% (24,340) | 44.44% (19,468) | Approved |
| Minnesota | 1877 | Amendment 4: Women's Suffrage for Local Option Elections Measure | 44.54% (26,468) | 55.46% (32,963) | Defeated |
| Wisconsin | 1886 | Question 1: Women's Suffrage in School Matters Measure | 52.77% (43,581) | 47.23% (38,998) | Defeated |
| South Dakota | 1894 | Women's Suffrage in School Affairs Amendment | 42.85% (17,010) | 57.15% (22,682) | Defeated |
| Massachusetts | 1895 | Women's Suffrage for Local Elections Advisory Question | 36.76% (109,174) | 63.24% (187,837) | Defeated |
| New Jersey | 1897 | Women's Suffrage for School Elections Amendment | 46.32% (64,784) | 53.68% (75,079) | Defeated |
| Minnesota | 1898 | Amendment 1: Women's Suffrage for School and Library Boards Amendment | 62.15% (71,704) | 37.85% (43,660) | Approved |
| Ohio | 1917 | Referendum 1: Women's Suffrage for Presidential Elections Measure | 42.63% (422,282) | 57.37% (568,382) | Defeated |
Post-19th Amendment women's suffrage ballot measures
The following is a list of ballot measures related to women's suffrage that appeared on the ballot after the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
| State | Year | Measure | "Yes" Votes | "No" Votes | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 1920 | Amendment 8: Women's Suffrage Measure | 63.68% (87,237) | 36.32% (49,751) | Approved |
| Maine | 1920 | Women's Suffrage for Presidential Elections Referendum | 74.30% (88,080) | 25.70% (30,462) | Approved |
| Mississippi | 1920 | Women's Suffrage Amendment | 61.73% (39,186) | 38.27% (24,296) | Defeated[2] |
| Nebraska | 1920 | Amendment 18: Women's Suffrage Measure | 80.94% (65,483) | 19.06% (15,416) | Approved |
Statistics
Number of measures by state
- States that passed women's suffrage measures on their first attempt
- Arizona (1912)
- Idaho (1896)
- Montana (1914)
- Nevada (1914)
- Utah (1895)
- Wyoming (1889)
- States that passed women's suffrage measures on their second attempt:
- California (1896 and 1911)
- Colorado (1877 and 1893)
- New York (1915 and 1917)
- Oklahoma (1910 and 1918)
- States that passed women's suffrage measures on their third attempt:
- Kansas (1867, 1894, and 1912)
- Washington (1889, 1898, and 1910)
- States that passed women's suffrage measures on their fourth attempt:
- Michigan (1874, 1912, 1913, and 1918)
- States that passed women's suffrage measures on their sixth attempt:
- Oregon (1884, 1900, 1906, 1908, 1910, and 1912)
- South Dakota (1890, 1898, 1910, 1914, 1916, and 1918)
Vote margins
- Average vote on a women's suffrage amendment: Excluding Utah and Wyoming, which passed women's suffrage as a provision of a state constitution question, the average vote on a woman's suffrage amendment was 43.35% to 56.65%.
- Largest vote margin (percentage) to approve a women's suffrage amendment: Excluding Utah and Wyoming, Arizona Questions 300 and 301 (1912) had the largest margin of approval. The vote was 68.43% (13,442) to 31.57% (6,202).
- Largest vote margin (percentage) to defeat a women's suffrage amendment: The Nebraska Women's Suffrage Amendment (1871) had the largest margin of defeat. The vote was 21.66% (3,502) to 78.34%.
- Closest vote (percentage) to approve a women's suffrage amendment: California Proposition 4 (1911) was approved in a vote of 50.73% (125,037) to 49.27% (121,450).
- Closest vote (percentage) to defeat a women's suffrage amendment: The Michigan Women's Suffrage Amendment (1912) was defeated in a vote of 49.92% (247,375) to 50.08% (248,135).
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Catt, Carrie Chapman and Nettie Rogers Shuler. (1923). Woman Suffrage and Politics: The Inner Story of the Suffrage Movement. New York, New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. (pages 149-150)
- ↑ In Mississippi, the constitutional amendment needed to receive a majority vote of the total votes cast in the 1920 election, not just a majority of the votes cast for or against the ballot measure.
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