In February 1909, Washington's legislature put before the men of the state a constitutional amendment allowing women to vote. Leaders of the women's suffrage movement had only 20 months to educate voters and build support before the November 1910 election.

Using the slogan "It's a matter of justice," they assembled a statewide organization, developed partnerships with key voter groups, and engaged in aggressive media tactics.

The campaign was as subtle as it was aggressive. It focused on individual communications and influential voters. Rather than staging public rallies or marching down main street, leaders hunted for support one vote at a time. They talked to legislators and other supporters one on one. At home, women worked to persuade the only people who could vote — their husbands, fathers and brothers.

Mavens on the Move

Wise to the power of media, suffragists launched a monthly newspaper, Votes for Women. It informed readers of suffragist activities around the nation and the world. The paper reported on campaign progress, recognized volunteers and proclaimed the rightness of their cause. In its inaugural issue, the paper stated: "Our business is to work, to surmount difficulties, to endure hardships, to solve problems to overcome the inertia of our natures, our training and environment."

Because women could not vote, they formed groups to convince male voters that women should vote. These groups, known as "coalitions," lobbied labor groups, men's organizations, trade associations, churches and local Granges, the last of which "did yeoman work for the suffrage cause." To measure a particular group's support, women attended meetings and called for a straw, or unofficial, vote. Most groups favored suffrage overwhelmingly.

The campaign's success relied on convincing women, some who preferred to focus on their role at home, that women's voting rights were necessary. Women from every corner of the state and social strata were recruited into women's clubs. The clubs (many of which were book or garden clubs) evolved into centers of political activism. Thousands of housewives, farmer's wives, shopkeepers, secretaries and teachers volunteered, canvassing their towns or donating money. Dr. Cora Smith Eaton, a Seattle suffragist, described how the money was raised, "Cake sales, apron showers, sewing bees, and nickels and dimes saved out of the grocery and millinery bills of a thousand women — that's how the money came."

One Vote at a Time

Using an organizational tactic a modern presidential campaign would admire, the suffragists developed exhaustive lists of voters, called poll lists. These allowed organizers to measure support in every precinct. Worthwhile work, but laborious nonetheless. "Do you know what it means to copy 50,000 names?" asked Votes for Women.

Hanging posters was perhaps the most visible campaign tactic. Volunteers hung thousands of posters on telegraph poles, on buildings and in every shop or business possible. One of the more effective posters featured a photo and quotation from Abraham Lincoln, who was quoted as saying, "I go for all sharing the privileges of government who assist in bearing its burdens, by no means excluding women."

"Idiots, Criminals, and Women Cannot Vote"

Keeping suffrage at the top of people's minds was critical to success. Organizers held "Women's Days" at county fairs, and "chautauquas," stage shows that combined education and entertainment. In July 1909 a number of hearty suffragists joined the Mountaineers Club on a climb to the summit of Mt. Rainier. They carried a "Votes for Women" banner and drove it into the icy crust. This supposedly un-lady-like endeavor illustrated the emergence of a "new woman," one who was active, professional, and capable.

Perhaps the most compelling suffragist message was displayed on a float in the 1910 Labor Day parade in Spokane. Women playing the roles of nurse, businesswoman, homemaker, salesgirl and taxpayer were all "chained" to two men. One was a stripe-clad convict and the other the town "idiot." A banner topped the float, equating women with criminals and idiots. "Idiots, Criminals and Women Cannot Vote," it proclaimed.

Victory in Washington!

As the election approached, most major newspapers had endorsed the amendment. Prospects looked promising, but the women took nothing for granted. On the rainy election day, November 8, 1910, organizers posted two women and one man at each polling place. Women handed out cards asking for a yes vote, while a man observed the count. The amendment passed overwhelmingly. A strong 52,299 voted in favor of suffrage versus 29,676 against — a convincing two-to-one margin. Every county approved the amendment, with the greatest support west of the Cascades. According to historian Marte Jo Sheeran, the amendment enjoyed approval among nearly all demographic groups. After an initial triumph in 1883, a crushing reversal in 1888, and a grueling 20-month campaign, Washington women finally had reason to celebrate. Washington had become the fifth state in the United States to enact women's suffrage.