Women's History Month 2020: Her Voice, Her Vote

Image by Tami Osmer Glatz

Every year for Women's History Month I use each day as an opportunity to write about a resource, genealogical methodology, or record to help research female ancestors. Last year I posted a series looking at women in directories. The idea was to provide some ideas, beyond city directories, of what is out there for researchers to discover.

Her Voice, Her Vote. This year it feels appropriate to mark an important piece of history during Women's History Month. This year the focus is  on the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment. But the posts this month won't just be about the history behind women and the fight for the vote but I  will explore genealogically relevant records that document voters and non voters. 

Voting records are an important genealogical source but they often get ignored. And to be honest, there's a good reason. Not everyone voted. Not everyone could vote and even if they could they still may not have been able to or want to. We will also explore a diverse community of women and the impact the vote had on them. Not everyone voted in 1920 once the 19th amendment passed.

Hopefully at the end of the month you'll have some ideas about when your ancestor could vote and where the records could be. And if they didn't vote, why.

I hope you enjoy this month learning more about female ancestors and the fight for the right to vote in the United States.

Resources
Wikipedia - Women's Suffrage in the United States
National Park Service - Women's History - 19th Amendment