Utah Ratifies the 19th Amendment, September 30, 1919

Suffrage in Utah was closely tied to issues of religion and Mormonism in the 1800s. While still a territory most Utah men supported women’s suffrage for a variety of reasons and in 1870 Utah passed legislation giving the vote to women. Utah’s women voted for 17 years, but then they were disenfranchised in 1887. The practice of polygamy among Utah Mormons was highly controversial and Congress passed the Edmund-Tucker Anti-Polygamy Act. This legislation put restrictions on polygamy and the power of the Mormon Church, but also took the vote away from Utah women. Consequently, women quickly formed suffrage associations to advocate for regaining the franchise. Utahns largely supported universal suffrage so when the Church of Latter-Day Saints ended polygamy and the United States allowed Utah to apply for statehood in 1894, the issue of women’s suffrage was included in the state’s constitution. Utah became a state in 1896 and women were again given the vote. At the time only three states allowed women full suffrage: Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. When Congress passed the 19^th Amendment Utah ratified it on September 30, 1919.

Brown, Barbara Jones, Naomi Watkins, and Katherine Kitterman. "Gaining, Losing, and Winning Back the Vote: The Story of Utah Women's Suffrage." Better Days 2020. Accessed June 30, 2021. https://www.utahwomenshistory.org/2018/02/receiving-losing-and-winning-back-the-vote-the-story-of-utah-womens-suffrage/

"Utah and the 19th Amendment." National Park Service. November 23, 2019. Accessed June 30, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/utah-women-s-history.htm.