SHSND Home > North Dakota History > Unit 4: Building a New State,1878-1914 > Women Suffrage at Statehood > Photos & Documents

Unit 4: Set 1. Women Suffrage at Statehood - Photos & Documents

Introduction | Convention Debates | Photos & Documents | Activity 1 | Activity 2

Susan Pitts letter
This letter, addressed to Linda Warfel Slaughter
in 1887, indicates the excitement the writer felt
at voting in a school election. SHSND Mss 10003
first all women jury
In 1923, three years after full suffrage was
granted to all women citizens of the United States,
Burleigh County impaneled an all-woman jury.
North Dakota law included women voters in county
jury pools. Women voters could be
excluded from jury duty only if they applied in writing
to be excused. Some of the women in the photo of
this rare event, were among the leading women of
Bismarck and Burleigh County. The bailiff, Linnie
Hedstrom, is the wife of Sheriff Albin Hedstrom
and daughter of Linda Warfel Slaughter.
SHSND 0091-0243

These two documents (below) are the ballots used by men and by women to vote in the primary election of June 1916. Note the number of women voters versus the number of men voters. Note the difference in the ballots. Women could not vote for judges in 1916.

Source: State Historical Society of North Dakota Archives

men's primary election tally list
Men's primary election tally list, pg 1
men's primary election list page 2
Men's primary election tally list, pg 2
women's primary election tally list
Women's primary election tally list, pg 1
women primary election list page 2
Women's primary election tally list, pg 2

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