100 years of gender equality at the
ballot box
Wednesday, August 26th, 2020 at 12:02am – ABQ Journal
Today America celebrates
Women’s Equality Day. This day marks the national centennial of passage of the
19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: “The right of citizens to vote shall
not be denied or abridged by the U.S. or any state because of sex.”
This milestone for the
women’s suffrage movement occurred following ratification by Tennessee, the
36th state required for the three-fourths majority. Aug. 26 is observed as the
100th anniversary of the women’s suffrage amendment, which was first introduced
in 1878 and certified by the U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby,
permitting 26 million women to participate in the 1920 presidential election.
Women’s contributions to the Great War effort were vital to impress upon male
voters and elected officials women’s importance to the continued success of our
democracy.
Each state has its unique
suffrage history. Women’s right to vote was raised occasionally in the
Territory of New Mexico because several Western states pioneered the practice.
Thousands of women and men in New Mexico worked together to build support for
suffrage between 1911 and 1920. On Feb. 21, 1920, the amendment was ratified in
New Mexico in a special legislative session. The rich history of voting rights
in New Mexico and nationally is explored in Megan Kamerick’s four podcasts at
www.newmexicopbs.org/new-mexico-and-the-vote-podcast/.
Expansion of the right to
vote has a long and difficult history and wasn’t complete in 1920 or even
today. It took much longer for disenfranchised minority groups to gain voting
rights – only white women were granted the right to vote during 1920, with
continuing struggles by Black women and all Native Americans.
President Coolidge signed the
Indian Citizenship Act in 1924, permitting Native Americans who were not living
on reservations the right to vote. It took Miguel Trujillo Jr., who was denied
voting rights after fighting in WWII, to win a N.M. Supreme Court decision
recognizing the right of all Native Americans to vote. Most Black women’s
struggle for the vote was not obtained until the passage of the 1965 Voting
Rights Act.
This racial disparity
continues today by voter suppression when there are an inadequate number of
polling places in minority communities or restricted polling place hours and
limited Postal Service availability for absentee voting. Minorities still seek
equality in the American workplace and representative employment in professions
providing both recognition and an equal share in the rewards from our national
prosperity. This historic milestone marking white women’s earning the right to
vote only reminds us of the many national challenges we Americans face as this
nation progresses toward a more just and inclusive democracy.
2020 also marks the 100th
anniversary of the League of Women Voters, which formed from the National
American Women’s Suffrage Association in Chicago on Feb. 14, 1920. >From its
inception, LWV focused on registering the new women electorate to vote and
promoting an understanding of governmental policies, and our mission continues
to educate voters and protect voting rights for everyone amidst this pandemic.
In 2020, LWVNM introduced a
more extensive online resource – www.Vote411.org – enabling voters to access
candidate responses for all races in Bernalillo, Torrance, Sandoval and
Valencia counties. On Sept. 15, each citizen may view their own personal ballot
following entry of their address to access statewide races, discussion of bond
issues and judicial candidates in this online voting guide.
LWVNM is monitoring any issues which could hamper
absentee ballot return or suppress voter participation in the upcoming election
and will continue to be vocal when concerns regarding fair elections and voter
access warrant. The League of Women Voters of Central N.M. will publish hard
copies of the voter guide in the beginning of October. Use