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Tag: Voting rights

9th Circuit will re-open WA felon voting case

9th Circuit will re-open WA felon voting case

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to a Sept. 21 re-hearing of  a challenge of Washington’s longstanding ban on voting by felons.  The nationally prominent case could be decided by the appeals judges or end up in the U.S. Supreme Court to set a nationwide policy. An 11-judge panel will re-hear the case that three of its own judges had decided in favor of the inmates earlier this year. That much-criticized ruling held that Washington violates the federal…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation -Part 1

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation -Part 1

November 8th, 2010 – the centennial anniversary of women’s suffrage in Washington – is fast approaching!  In order to keep everyone up to speed on the upcoming celebration – or jubilation – we are writing a series of 19 blog posts with information about the suffrage movement in Washington.  Do you have ancestors who were part of Washington’s women’s suffrage movement?  Tell us your stories!  The year was 1854.  Arthur A. Denny, a member of the first Washington Territorial Legislature, introduced an…

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9th Circuit puts hold on felon voter ruling … for now

9th Circuit puts hold on felon voter ruling … for now

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has agreed to temporarily suspend their ruling that threw out Washington’s longstanding ban on voting by felons. The court granted the request by Secretary of State Sam Reed, Attorney General Rob McKenna and Governor Chris Gregoire to place a hold on the controversial ruling while the state pursues a challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court granted the request Thursday in a three-paragraph order, agreeing to not issue a “mandate” that would have…

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Washington’s Road to Women’s Suffrage: 1871

Washington’s Road to Women’s Suffrage: 1871

Women went on a bit of a rollar coaster ride to get the right to vote in Washington, and it took a lot of fight to reach a final victorious outcome in 1910. (A fact that Washington is celebrating next year, the centennial of women’s suffrage!)  One famous setback? In 1871,  noted suffragette Susan B. Anthony came to Olympia to lobby for women’s suffrage and she addressed the Territorial Legislature on the merits of letting women have the vote. The next day…

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Washington’s Road to Women’s Suffrage: 1867

Washington’s Road to Women’s Suffrage: 1867

2010 marks the 100-year anniversary of women’s suffrage in Washington. So what did it take for women to get the  right to vote in Washington?  It was one step at a time. One of those key steps was in 1867, when the Washington Territorial Legislature passed a law giving the right to vote to “. . . all white American citizens above the age of twenty-one…”  The law went on to be more specific, citing:  “. . . all other white male inhabitants of…

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Re: WA green-lights voting rights for ex-cons

Re: WA green-lights voting rights for ex-cons

Governor Gregoire has signed legislation allowing ex-convicts to get their voting rights restored once they’re served their prison sentences and community supervision. Secretary Reed, who strongly backed the measure, told a celebration after the bill-signing that it was “clearly the right thing to do,” because it improves election administration and fosters responsible civic behavior by ex-felons when they return to their home communities. Reed and the prime sponsors, Representative Jeannie Darnielle of Tacoma and Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles of Seattle, flanked the governor as she signed…

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