Dakota Datebook: Suffrage at the Constitutional Convention Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Prairie Public

In 1889, who could vote and how they could vote became a keen part of the debates during North Dakota's Constitutional Convention.

A. S. Parsons of Mandan headed the standing committee on elective franchise that examined voting rules.  Regarding women's suffrage, newspapers noted that this chairman was “unfriendly to the scheme in any shape or form.” Consequently, full enfranchisement was not awarded to women in the constitution, but they were granted the right to vote for school officials, a right they had also held under the territorial laws.

But even that right was debated during the constitutional convention. One delegate moved to change the wording to read any “single” woman who met the general voting qualifications could vote for school offices.

Read more at: https://news.prairiepublic.org/post/suffrage-constitutional-convention-school-votes-and-laura-eisenhuth