By Ancestry®
Suffragist Movement
How Votes for Women Swept the Nation
How Votes for Women Swept the Nation
Before 1920, many women around the country were already making their voices heard in local, state, and even presidential elections. Depending on where they lived, they could have been voting for decades. These are the generations of women in your family.
Before 1920, many women around the country were already making their voices heard in local, state, and even presidential elections. Depending on where they lived, they could have been voting for decades. These are the generations of women in your family.
Published March 3, 2020
When the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was adopted on August 26, 1920, women in some states had already been given that right by the state in which they were residents.
When the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote was adopted on August 26, 1920, women in some states had already been given that right by the state in which they were residents.
We’ve put together both a chronological timeline, and a state-by-state list so that you can see when the women in your family finally had access to the ballot.
We’ve put together both a chronological timeline, and a state-by-state list so that you can see when the women in your family finally had access to the ballot.
Chronological Timeline
Chronological Timeline
1776-1807
New Jersey’s first constitution granted suffrage to “all inhabitants of this colony, of full age, who are worth 50 pounds.”
1838
Widows with school age children in Kentucky can vote in school elections.
1861
Kansas women can vote in school elections.
1862
Oregon widows with children and taxable property can vote in school elections.
1867
Women taxpayers can vote in school elections.
10 Dec 1869
Wyoming Territory becomes the first state to grant women the right to vote and hold office.
1869
Nebraska grants women the right to vote in school elections.
1870
Utah Territory grants women suffrage.
1875
Women in Michigan and Minnesota are granted the right to vote in school elections.
1876
Colorado women get the right to vote in school elections.
1879
Massachusetts women can vote in school elections.
1880
Tax-paying Vermont women are allowed to vote in school elections.
1880
New York women can vote in school elections.
1883
North Dakota women can vote in school elections.
1883
Washington Territory grants women suffrage.
1886
Wisconsin women can vote in school elections.
1887
Montana Territory and New Jersey grant women the right to vote in school elections.
1887
Women in Utah lose the right to vote, under the terms of the Edmunds-Tucker Act.
1887
Women in Washington Territory lose the right to vote when the Washington Territorial Supreme Court strikes the law that granted it.
1887
Kansas women granted suffrage in municipal elections.
1887
Montana Territory grants women the right to vote in school elections.
1890
Women in Washington get the right to vote in school elections.
1890
Women in Wyoming retain their right to vote when Wyoming becomes a state.
1891
Women can vote in school elections.
1893
Colorado grants women suffrage
1893
Connecticut women can vote in school elections.
1894
Iowa women can vote in municipal and school elections.
1894
Ohio women can vote in school elections.
1896
Utah women win back suffrage with Utah statehood.
1896
Idaho grants women suffrage.
1898
Tax-paying women in Louisiana can vote on taxation referendums.
1898
Taxpaying women in Delaware can vote in school elections.
1909
Connecticut women can vote on library issues.
1910
The state of Washington grants women full suffrage.
1910
New Mexico women allowed to vote in school elections.
1911
California grants women suffrage.
1912
Arizona, Kansas, and Oregon grant women suffrage.
1913
The Territory of Alaska grants women suffrage.
1913
Illinois allows women to vote for president and municipal offices, but not state.
1914
Montana and Nevada grant women suffrage.
Beginning in 1915
Several areas in Florida begin allowing women to vote in municipal elections.
1917
Arkansas women allowed to vote in primaries, but not general elections.
1917
New York grants women full suffrage. It is the first eastern state to do so.
1917
Nebraska, North Dakota, and Rhode Island allow women to vote for president.
1917-1918
Women in Indiana are given the right to vote in certain races, but not all. The legislation that granted that right was repealed in 1918.
1918
Michigan, Oklahoma, and South Dakota grant women suffrage.
1918
Texas women get the right to vote in political primary elections.
1919
Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin allow women to vote for president.
18 Aug 1920
19th Amendment is ratified; grants women the full right to vote across the U.S.
2 Nov 1920
8 million + women cast their vote.
By State
By State
Alabama
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Alaska Territory
1913: Full suffrage
Arizona
1912: Full suffrage
Arkansas
1917: Women can vote in primaries, but not general elections
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
California
1911: Full suffrage
Colorado
1876: Women get the right to vote in school elections.
1893: Full suffrage
Connecticut
1893: Women can vote in school elections.
1909: Women can vote on library issues.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Delaware
1898: Taxpaying women can vote in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
District of Columbia
1961: Full suffrage with passage of the 23rd Amendment.
Florida
Beginning in 1915: Several areas begin allowing women to vote in municipal elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Georgia
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Guam
1950: Women who were born in Guam got the right to vote when the Guam Organic Act went into effect and those born in Guam became U.S. citizens.
Hawaii
1959: Full suffrage with statehood
Idaho
1896: Full suffrage
Illinois
1891: Women can vote in school elections.
1913: Women can vote for president and municipal offices, but not state.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Indiana
1917-1918: Women are given the right to vote in certain races, but not all. The legislation that granted that right was repealed in 1918.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment
Iowa
1894: Iowa women can vote in municipal and school elections.
April 1919: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Kansas
1861: Women can vote in school elections
1887: Women can vote in municipal elections.
1912: Full suffrage
Kentucky
1838: Widows with school-age children can vote in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Louisiana
1898: Tax-paying women can vote on taxation referendums.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Maine
1919: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Maryland
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Massachusetts
1879: Women can vote in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Michigan
1867: Women taxpayers can vote in school elections.
1918: Full suffrage granted by state constitutional amendment.
Minnesota
1875: Women can vote in school elections.
1919: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Mississippi
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Missouri
1919: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Montana
1887: Montana Territory grants women the right to vote in school elections.
1914: Full suffrage
Nebraska
1869: Nebraska grants women the right to vote in school elections.
1917: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Nevada
1914: Full suffrage with amendment of state constitution.
New Hampshire
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
New Jersey
1776: New Jersey’s first constitution granted suffrage to “all inhabitants of this colony, of full age, who are worth 50 pounds.”
1790: Both men and women who own property could vote, but since married women couldn’t own property, only single or widowed women were eligible.
1807: Voting is restricted to tax-paying white male citizens.
1887: Women given the right to vote in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
New Mexico
1910: Women allowed to vote and run in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
New York
1880: Women can vote in school elections.
1917: Full suffrage
North Carolina
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
North Dakota
1883: Women can vote in school elections.
1917: Women can vote for president and some local officials.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Ohio
1894: Women can vote in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Oklahoma
1918: Full suffrage
Oregon
1862: Oregon widows with children and taxable property can vote in school elections.
1912: Full suffrage
Pennsylvania
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Puerto Rico
1929: At urging of U.S. Congress, literate women got the right to vote.
1935: All women can vote.
Rhode Island
1917: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
South Carolina
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
South Dakota
1918: Full suffrage
Tennessee
1919: Women can vote for president and in municipal elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Texas
1918: Texas women get the right to vote in political primary elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Utah
1870: Full suffrage
1887: Women in Utah lose the right to vote with Edmunds-Tucker Act.
1896: Full suffrage with statehood
Vermont
1880: Tax-paying Vermont women are allowed to vote in school elections.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Virginia
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Washington
1883: Washington Territory – Full suffrage
1887: Suffrage law is struck down by state Supreme Court.
1890: Women can vote in school elections.
1910: Full suffrage
West Virginia
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Wisconsin
1886: Wisconsin women can vote in school elections.
1919: Women can vote for president.
1920: Full suffrage with passage of the 19th Amendment.
Wyoming
Territory 1869: Full suffrage
State 1890: Full suffrage with statehood