Women in Arizona Politics

Women in Arizona Politics

Women in Arizona politics have come a long way during the twentieth century. At the beginning of the century, women were just fighting for the right to vote with the suffrage movement. As we approach the dawn of a new century, women in Arizona hold five of the top offices in the state, including Governor Jane Hull. Throughout this chronological discussion, I will be continually drawing on three major points. First, the accomplishments of many women who have made an impact in Arizona politics. Second, the political offices being sought and won by women showed steady increases. Third, the number of women seeking political offices showed steady increases. These will be my three main methods in showing that Arizona women made significant progress in the political arena during the twentieth century.

I. The Fight For Suffrage

To understand the progress made by women in the 1900’s, one must understand that the suffrage movement was an ongoing struggle from the time Arizona was granted territorial status in 1863. Josephine Hughes was a principal figure in the new Arizona women’s suffrage movement. Ms. Hughes resigned her position as president of Arizona’s Women’s Christian Temperance Union in order to establish the first Arizona Suffrage Association. Even though women’s suffrage didn’t garner enough votes during the first Constitutional Convention in 1891, Josephine Hughes laid the tracks for other women to follow, and is considered a pioneer in the Arizona women’s suffrage movement (Kelly 7).

Women’s fight for suffrage in Arizona continued in 1910 with the second Constitutional Convention. The National American Women’s Suffrage Association sent organizers and money in...

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.... However, I feel that the best way to measure the political progress of Arizona women during the twentieth century can be summed up in the following four words, from suffrage to Governor. Think about that for a second. When the century began, women in Arizona were just fighting for the basic right to vote. As we close out the twentieth century, a woman is governing the entire state of Arizona. To call this progress anything less than tremendous would be the understatement of the century.

Works Cited

Kelly, Rita Mae. Women And the Arizona Political Process. Maryland: University Press of America, Inc., 1988.

Simpson, Claudette. "Frances Munds and Arizona's History of Suffrage." Charlotte Hall Museum. March 22, 1998. April 6, 1999.

<http://www.prescottaz.com/pdc/dayarc/32298.htm>

<http://www.governor.state.az.us/news/indexbio.html>