Proclamation by the Governor for the 19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on May 21, 1919 and the U.S. Senate on June 4, 1919 in a special congressional session. The amendment was then sent to the states for ratification.
On October 25, 1919, Governor William D. Stephens issued a proclamation calling the California Legislature into a special session to consider ratification. When lawmakers convened on November 1, 1919, California ratified the amendment, becoming the 18th state to do so. The 19th Amendment received the required approval of 36 states on August 18, 1920, establishing that voting rights could not be denied on account of sex nationwide.
Finally, on August 26, 1920, the 19th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution, granting women in the United States the right to vote on the federal level. This day is still commemorated and known today as Women’s Equality Day.
California’s fight for women’s suffrage on the state and federal level over 100 years ago paved the way for women’s participation in the democratic process and set the stage for greater representation in California politics. Today, women make up almost half of the California state legislature (in the 2025-2026 legislative session).
