1916 West Virginia Women's Suffrage Amendment

State referendum to grant women voting rightsNovember 7, 1916 West Virginia Female Suffrage Amendment, amending Section One of Article Four 63,540 161,607 File:1916 West Virginia Women's Suffrage Amendment results map by county.svg Yes #B6C8D9 50–60% No #5D5D2D 80–90% #8B8B54 70–80% #BCBC83 60–70% #DEDEBD 50–60% File:Flag of West Virginia (1907–1929).pngIn 1916, West Virginia held a referendum on a state-level constitutional amendment to grant women the right of suffrage. The ballot measure was defeated with over 71% of votes cast in opposition, and with all but 2 of the state's counties voting against. Background Before the election, The McDowell Times released a newspaper with a section titled: "SUFFRAGE IS SURE TO WIN". The paper believed that more people were beginning to back women's suffrage, saying, "As that November day approaches which shall decide the status of the women of this Commonwealth there seems to be a general scramble to get on to the equal franchise bandwagon."3 November 1916 SUFFRAGE IS SURE TO WIN https://www.newspapers.com/image/854476988/ 15 December 2025 The McDowell Times Positions Support ;Governors George Atkinson, 10th governor of West Virginia (1897–1901)1 May 1916 Women of W. Va. Appeal for Equality at the Polls https://www.newspapers.com/image/819143313/ 15 December 2025 The Wheeling Intelligencer William Glasscock, 13th governor of West Virginia, (1909–1913) Henry Hatfield, 14th governor of West Virginia (1913–1917) Newspapers The McDowell Times3 November 1916 VOTE FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE https://www.newspapers.com/image/854476981/ 15 December 2025 The McDowell Times Contents The following was shown to voters on the ballot for the amendment:2 November 1916 Democratic Ticket https://www.newspapers.com/image/827928439/ 15 December 2025 West Virginia Argus NewspapersBALLOT ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT Female Suffrage Amendment, amending Section One of Article Four [] For ratification of Female Suffrage Amendment [] Against ratification of Female Suffrage Amendment Results CountyYes %No %TotalBarbour 22.477.63,710Berkeley 24.675.43,909Boone 27.172.92,506Braxton 22.977.14,674Brooke 53.446.61,948Cabell 26.673.49,437Calhoun 22.577.51,940Clay 14.285.81,787Doddridge 23.976.12,307Fayette 27.472.67,598Gilmer 24.475.62,364Grant 12.587.51,571Greenbrier 20.179.95,018Hampshire 15.884.22,407Hancock 59.840.21,514Hardy 11.588.51,984Harrison 37.462.69,903Jackson 27.372.74,096Jefferson 24.675.42,975Kanawha 25.874.215,494Lewis 29.670.43,962Lincoln 12.787.33,679Logan 23.676.43,630Marion 42.257.87,993Marshall 38.961.14,951Mason 32.567.53,900McDowell 22.977.16,268Mercer 18.181.97,212Mineral 33.266.83,004Mingo 21.478.63,321Monongalia 39.061.04,583Monroe 10.289.82,852Morgan 28.771.31,541Nicholas 25.974.13,838Ohio 42.957.110,527Pendleton 10.589.51,927Pleasants 30.469.61,404Pocahontas 22.477.62,758Preston 37.862.24,795Putnam 17.083.03,371Raleigh 16.383.75,296Randolph 30.469.64,761Ritchie 33.566.53,309Roane 19.880.23,987Summers 18.981.13,437Taylor 35.764.33,031Tucker 31.168.92,573Tyler 31.768.32,679Upshur 29.970.13,272Wayne 21.278.84,028Webster 19.081.02,114Wetzel 30.669.43,800Wirt 25.574.51,772Wood 45.254.87,220Wyoming 22.777.31,760Referendum: Women's Suffrage Amendment https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=54&year=1916&f=0&off=50&elect=0 15 December 2025 Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections Later events In 1920, West Virginia's legislature agreed to ratify the 19th Amendment, the federal, and successful version of what the state-level amendment sought to do. Its ratification has been described as the second most dramatic state ratification of the amendment, second to Tennessee's ratification.Weatherford Doris 1998 A history of the American suffragist movement https://archive.org/details/historyofamerica0000weat/page/236/mode/2up 15 December 2025 Internet Archive 237, 238 On February 27, 1920, Democratic Gov. John Cornwell called a special session for the Republican legislature. The State House agreed to it by seven votes, but the State Senate tied in a 14 to 14 vote, meaning the ratification would fail. However, a telegram from State Sen. Jesse A. Bloch then arrived; Bloch, who was in California, sent the following message: "Just received notice of special session. Am in favor of ratification." State leader Harriet B. Jones said that Bloch's telegram "was refused by the opponents with jeers," but that State Sen. Bloch "agreed to make a race across the continent." The women had difficulty keeping the vote together and the House from reconsidering, as the politicians were annoyed by the delay. Once Bloch had reached Chicago, opponents of the amendment attempted to reinstate State Sen. A.R. Montgomery who had resigned from the Senate eight months prior. Both Gov. John Cornwell and President of the West Virginia Senate Charles Sinsel rejected Montgomery's suggestions. President Sinsel quickly ruled that he was not a legislator of the Senate. The ruling was appealed, which resulted in a tie vote, so Montgomery was sustained and the situation was referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections. On March 10, State Sen. Bloch made his return, receiving cheers. Following this, an eventful debate over whether to reseat Montgomery was sparked; the State Senate ultimately decided to not seat him. Bloch's vote changed the vote to 15 to 14, and seeing that his vote was losing, a senator who originally cast his vote in opposition decided to change his vote, making the final vote 16 to 13. West Virginia was the 34th of the 36 states needed for ratification. References See also 1915 Pennsylvania Amendment 1 Category:1916 in West Virginia Category:1916 West Virginia elections Category:Ballot measures in the United States Category:Women's suffrage ballot measures in the United States Category:History of women in West Virginia