Voting Before the 19th Amendment

Title

Voting Before the 19th Amendment

Subject

Evanston women had two opportunities to vote before the 19th amendment passed in 1919. In 1892, women were allowed to vote in school board elections and run for school board. That year, not only did women vote in the election, a woman won. Her name was Louise Brockaway Stanwood.

In 1913, all Illinois women were granted the vote on a limited ballot, that included all local and statewide races that were not prohibited by the existing state constitution. This included Presidential Electors. In 1916, the first Presidential election after the law was passed, so many Illinois women voted that they changed the outcome of the election in the state and thus influenced the Presidential election.

Description

Information about suffrage victories that predated the 19th amendment, specifically School Board suffrage in 1891-2 and extended state suffrage in 1913.

Source

EHC Collections

Publisher

Evanston History Center

Date

1890s-1913

Contributor

Evanston Women's History Project

Rights

Evanston History Center

Collection Items

"Registration for Women"
Newspaper article about the Illinois Woman's Christian Temperance Union's work urging women to register to vote in the School Board election, including information about the registration process and requirements.

"Board of Education"
This is a brief article that accounts for the results of the board of education election in Evanston in 1892. It includes Louise Brockaway Stanwood as a member, and lists committees.

"A Learned Professor for Woman Suffrage"
This flyer recounts remarks that Professor John A. Scott, PhD, of Northwestern University made in favor of woman suffrage. Professor Scott argues for suffrage on the grounds of women's roles as economic entities.

Canvassing card for women's suffrage.
This card explains that the canvasser distributing it did not seek money, but was seeking information about opinions towards women's suffrage. The card includes information about how one can contact Mary Kelley or Catharine Waugh McCulloch if they…

Evanston Public Schools Calendar and Directory, 1898-9
This booklet contains names of teachers and administrators of the Evanston Public School district, and addresses of school buildings, as well as the calendar for the 1898-1899 school year, and other information. Highlighted here for Louise Brockaway…
View all 18 items