In 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.
 | ||||||||||
7 November 1916 | ||||||||||
Female Suffrage Amendment, amending Section One of Article Four | ||||||||||
| Results | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
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." [1]
The following was shown to voters on the ballot for the amendment:
"BALLOT ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Female Suffrage Amendment, amending Section One of Article Four
[] For ratification of Female Suffrage Amendment
[] Against ratification of Female Suffrage Amendment" [4]
| County | Yes % | No % | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour | 22.4 | 77.6 | 3,710 |
| Berkeley | 24.6 | 75.4 | 3,909 |
| Boone | 27.1 | 72.9 | 2,506 |
| Braxton | 22.9 | 77.1 | 4,674 |
| Brooke | 53.4 | 46.6 | 1,948 |
| Cabell | 26.6 | 73.4 | 9,437 |
| Calhoun | 22.5 | 77.5 | 1,940 |
| Clay | 14.2 | 85.8 | 1,787 |
| Doddridge | 23.9 | 76.1 | 2,307 |
| Fayette | 27.4 | 72.6 | 7,598 |
| Gilmer | 24.4 | 75.6 | 2,364 |
| Grant | 12.5 | 87.5 | 1,571 |
| Greenbrier | 20.1 | 79.9 | 5,018 |
| Hampshire | 15.8 | 84.2 | 2,407 |
| Hancock | 59.8 | 40.2 | 1,514 |
| Hardy | 11.5 | 88.5 | 1,984 |
| Harrison | 37.4 | 62.6 | 9,903 |
| Jackson | 27.3 | 72.7 | 4,096 |
| Jefferson | 24.6 | 75.4 | 2,975 |
| Kanawha | 25.8 | 74.2 | 15,494 |
| Lewis | 29.6 | 70.4 | 3,962 |
| Lincoln | 12.7 | 87.3 | 3,679 |
| Logan | 23.6 | 76.4 | 3,630 |
| Marion | 42.2 | 57.8 | 7,993 |
| Marshall | 38.9 | 61.1 | 4,951 |
| Mason | 32.5 | 67.5 | 3,900 |
| McDowell | 22.9 | 77.1 | 6,268 |
| Mercer | 18.1 | 81.9 | 7,212 |
| Mineral | 33.2 | 66.8 | 3,004 |
| Mingo | 21.4 | 78.6 | 3,321 |
| Monongalia | 39.0 | 61.0 | 4,583 |
| Monroe | 10.2 | 89.8 | 2,852 |
| Morgan | 28.7 | 71.3 | 1,541 |
| Nicholas | 25.9 | 74.1 | 3,838 |
| Ohio | 42.9 | 57.1 | 10,527 |
| Pendleton | 10.5 | 89.5 | 1,927 |
| Pleasants | 30.4 | 69.6 | 1,404 |
| Pocahontas | 22.4 | 77.6 | 2,758 |
| Preston | 37.8 | 62.2 | 4,795 |
| Putnam | 17.0 | 83.0 | 3,371 |
| Raleigh | 16.3 | 83.7 | 5,296 |
| Randolph | 30.4 | 69.6 | 4,761 |
| Ritchie | 33.5 | 66.5 | 3,309 |
| Roane | 19.8 | 80.2 | 3,987 |
| Summers | 18.9 | 81.1 | 3,437 |
| Taylor | 35.7 | 64.3 | 3,031 |
| Tucker | 31.1 | 68.9 | 2,573 |
| Tyler | 31.7 | 68.3 | 2,679 |
| Upshur | 29.9 | 70.1 | 3,272 |
| Wayne | 21.2 | 78.8 | 4,028 |
| Webster | 19.0 | 81.0 | 2,114 |
| Wetzel | 30.6 | 69.4 | 3,800 |
| Wirt | 25.5 | 74.5 | 1,772 |
| Wood | 45.2 | 54.8 | 7,220 |
| Wyoming | 22.7 | 77.3 | 1,760 [5] |
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. [6]
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." [6]
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. [6]
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. [6]
