Nebraska Ratifies the 19th Amendment, August 2, 1919

Immediately upon becoming a state in 1867 the Nebraska state legislature debated women’s suffrage in every session. While women did earn the right to vote in school board elections in 1869 there was no other progress made. In 1881 Erasmus Correll (Nebraska House of Representatives) introduced a bill to take the word “male” out of the state constitution, thus allowing women to vote. There was very little support for this measure, but he negotiated with fellow lawmakers to pass the change if it was approved by Nebraska voters. Suffragists campaigned into the next year to gain support for the measure, but it was defeated in the popular vote in November 1882. The Nebraska Woman Suffrage Association continued to work towards extending voting rights, but there were strong anti-suffrage sentiments in the state (especially from religious leaders and also from the alcohol industry due to women’s work in the temperance movement). Progress came in 1917 when pro-suffrage governor Keith Neville took office. In that year both municipal and presidential suffrage for women passed the legislature and became law. Opponents tried to challenge the new law but were not successful prior to the 19^th Amendment passing Congress. Nebraska voted unanimously to ratify the amendment on August 2, 1919.

"Nebraska and the 19th Amendment." National Park Service. August 15, 2019. Accessed June 29, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/nebraska-and-the-19th-amendment.htm.

"Woman Suffrage." History Nebraska. Accessed June 29, 2021. https://history.nebraska.gov/publications/woman-suffrage-0.