“In Relation to the Rights of Suffrage”: The 1911 Amendment for Women’s Voting Rights in California

Support for the federal enfranchisement of women remained strong in California state politics as well. In addition to granting women the right to vote, the 1911 women’s suffrage amendment also paved the way for women to hold political office in California. In 1918, Esto B. Broughton, Elizabeth Hughes, Anna L. Saylor, and Grace S. Dorris became the first four women elected to the California State Assembly.

Though fifteen states had already granted women full voting rights, a federal amendment was required to secure nationwide suffrage. To push for this national change, two almost identical resolutions were introduced on January 9, 1919 to urge the U.S. Congress to move forward with “the amendment to the National Constitution known as ‘The Federal Suffrage Amendment.’". On just her third day in office, newly elected Assemblywoman Grace S. Dorris introduced Assembly Joint Resolution No. 1. Simultaneously, Senate Joint Resolution No. 3 was introduced by Senator Burnett, a male colleague in the State Senate. While Dorris's historic Assembly bill ultimately died in committee, its twin Senate resolution successfully advanced, passing both chambers on January 17, 1919.