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 an amendment to a pending bill was proposed, stating: “That whereas differences of opinion exists in the Territory in regard to the right of females to exercise the right of franchise, females are hereby declared to be entitled to the right of franchise in the Territory.”  The amendment did not pass. 

Instead, later in the session, a law was passed stating: “… hereafter no Female shall have the right of ballot or vote at any poll or election precinct in this Territory.”

For the time being, women’s suffrage was officially dead.