Celebrating 100 Years

 

Source: Library of Congress. Suffragettes, 1917.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of addition of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution. It reads: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." 

Because the states granted women the right to vote at different times, some of the women in my family tree and related branches were able to vote in their states before 26 August 1920. When Arizona was admitted as a state in 1912, women were able to vote. Maria Esther Suastegui voted in 1914. Josefa Vasquez voted in 1918, the first election after her naturalization in 1917. Josefa's sister Francisca voted in the same election.

Ancestry. Arizona Voter Registrations, 1866-1955.

Mariana Campuzano Freilinger voted in the same 1918 election. Her sister Rosaura Dobson voted in 1914.

Ancestry. Arizona Voter Registrations, 1866-1955.

Joaquina Contreras, wife of Frank Campuzano, voted in the 1914 election in Los Angeles. Nellie and Antonia Campuzano, daughters of Jose Maria Campuzano, voted in 1914 and 1920.

There may be others in my tree who voted before 1920, but so far there are few states that have made their historic voter registration records available for viewing. I'm lucky I have so many connected to Arizona and California and can see this history.