Editor’s note: This story is the first in a series taking a look at the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which gave all American women the right to vote. From now until the November presidential election we plan to take a deep dive into the history of the 19th amendment, its impact and memories from around the region on the historic first vote for women.
Hancock resident Mary Sawich stood outside of the Hancock Town Hall during presidential primary voting last week wearing a sash commemorating the 100th year of women’s right to vote and saying loudly “Happy anniversary!” to those who passed her by as they walked inside to vote.
This declaration stopped most people in their tracks giving 55-year-old Sawich a chance to remind people that the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave all women in the United States the right to vote, was ratified a century ago in 1920.
“That’s pretty wonderful. Isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be a perfect time to elect a woman,” said state senator Jeanne Dietsch of Peterborough outside of the Peterborough Community Center during primary voting the same day. “We stand on the shoulders of many, many women who struggled. There’s no question.”
While it hasn’t gone unnoticed by the many women voting in the democratic primary last week that there were at least three women to vote for, they said the gender of their candidate was not the main reason they are voting for them, if the gender of the candidate factored in at all.
Dietsch said she is supporting Amy Klobuchar, who came from behind to take third in New Hampshire’s primary last week, for many reasons and not because she is a woman.
“I think she can bring the party together. I think she can bring the country together. That’s why I’m voting for her,” Dietsch said. “A candidate who doesn’t run on gender is a stronger candidate. It’s the way I run myself. I don’t go out and say, ‘Vote for me. I’m a woman.’ I say, ‘Vote for me, I’m the best candidate’ and that’s what Amy’s doing.”
Susan Knight of Greenfield and her husband Jep Streit showed their support for Pete Buttigieg outside of the Greenfield Meetinghouse last week. Knight said she can’t image a time when women were not allowed to vote.
“I didn’t think about that today, but part of standing out here watching people of every age – as diverse as we are – every ability, it’s been very moving to see people, really, it’s democracy.”
Kathleen Barnes, 72, of Peterborough says she hasn’t been an active voter throughout her life, but over the past 10 or 15 years has gotten more involved. She was actively volunteering for her 2020 presidential pick, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, outside of the Peterborough Community Center on primary day.
“She has continued to articulate, in this campaign, a platform of ideas that are based on her fiscal expertise and her understanding as to why the bottom is falling out of the middle class. She’s my gal,” Barnes said. “And I want to see that glass ceiling broken before I die, but that is not the primary reason I’m voting for her.”
Barnes said she is tired of the debate over whether a woman can be elected to the presidency, but says, it seems to persist. “Evidentially, have you listened to all the people that say? ‘She may not be electable.’”
Emily Parson, 33, of New York City was in Peterborough last week as a volunteer for the Warren campaign. Parson said she doesn’t take her right as a women to vote for granted.
“Especially because I have friends who can’t vote,” she said. “DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) friends.”
The right for many to vote still needs to be fought for, she said.
“I was working on a campaign in New York City where so many people I spoke to couldn’t vote. It breaks my heart. I am able to vote today because of the suffragettes and an easily naturalized citizenship of 100 years ago,” Parson said. “I have a lot of concern about anyone who is disenfranchised.”
Sawich said she was inspired to pick a woman candidate back in September when she was watching the Ken Burns series American Lives about suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
“We need a woman president,” she recalled thinking, and selected Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard as the best female candidate for office.
“She’s a warrior,” Sawich said of Gabbard. “I chose Tulsi cause I feel like she has the integrity, the courage and that wonderful (Aloha) spirit that is so empowering.”
This year, 2020, marks the 100th anniversary of the federal ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which took place Aug. 18, 1920 in Tennessee.
The 19th Amendment declared, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex” and became law on Aug. 26, 1920.
In September of 1919, New Hampshire was the 16th state to ratify the 19th Amendment. However, Granite State women could not vote till the amendment had been ratified by 36 states, which took place in August 1920 when the Tennessee legislature passed it. One young legislator, 24-year-old Rep. Harry Burn who was counted as one of those voting against ratification, changed his vote after receiving a note from his mother.
“It was just one guy that made the difference for the ratification, like crazy, and his mother sent a note and said, ‘I hope you do the right thing,’” Sawich said.
In New Ipswich 33-year-old Liz Pogorzelski said it’s vital to exercise your right to vote, many before us have fought and died for the right, she said.
“I think anything like this is taken for granted, that we have the right to vote,” Pogorzelski said.
South Meadow School teacher Lori Groleau, 53, of Sharon said she has recently taught her sixth grade class about the 19th Amendment.
“I think they were very surprised. I think they are pretty shocked,” when students in her class learn about it. “That women didn’t have the right to vote until 100 years ago and that it didn’t come easily.”
Accompanying her mother Wanda Knisley, who was voting in the Mascenic High School Gym in New Ipswich on primary day last week, 9-year-old Lillian Knisley summed up her reaction to recently learning about suffrage and the 19th amendment in school and that women before that were not allowed to vote.
“Not fair!” she said.
Reporter Abbe Hamilton contributed to this story.