By Emily Kubota, Museum Curator

James Cox (pictured shaking hands on the right), the Democrat running for the office of President. He won Virginia but lost the election. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress.

The first election in which women could participate was the presidential election of 1920. After ratification of the 19th amendment on August 18 of that year, Virginia women began registering to vote the following month and were given from September 1 until October 2 to do so. To prepare women and interested men to register, a mass meeting was held in the Lynchburg City Auditorium to hear the issues and stances of both parties, and to prepare applicants for the steps required for voter registration. Black women gathered at Merchants Hall on Jackson Street to “bring about the qualification of as many colored women as possible.”

In order to vote in Lynchburg, potential registrants had to meet the following criteria:

Be an American citizen
Be at least 21 years of age
Have lived in Virginia two years
Have lived in Lynchburg one year
Have lived in the precinct 30 days previous to election day

Elizabeth Langhorne Lewis, a prominent Virginia suffragist, was one of nine white women to register in Lynchburg on the first day. Image property of the Lynchburg Museum System

If voters met the requirements, next they had to register. First, eligible voters had to be assessed the amount to pay in poll taxes, which for first time women voters was $1.50 (men who were first time voters had to be paid in full for the past three years). At a time when African American women were making as little as $4-8 a week, this represented a significant sum of money. To be assessed a poll tax, potential voters had to call or go to the office of the commissioner of revenue, who at the time was D.L. Taylor, located on the second floor of the Krise Building on Main Street. Next, prospective voters had to pay the assessed poll taxes at the office of the city treasurer, Henry P. Adams, who was also located on the second floor of the Krise building.

Once their poll taxes were paid, eligible voters had to take the receipts either to the home or place of business of the registrar of their precinct. The applicant was then given a printed list of questions that had to be answered in writing and sworn to. These questions were meant to confirm voters’ identities and included name, date of birth, birthplace, residence, and occupation. The written tests also included complicated instructions and word problems which were meant to test the voters’ formal education. One wrong answer resulted in failing the test and even those with advanced college degrees found the tests difficult to pass.

After giving written answers to these questions without assistance, it was up to the discretion of the registrar whether or not to proceed with citizenship questions to comply with the “Understanding Clause” of the Virginia Constitution. He could ask anything about the United States or Virginia Constitution, and depending on the answers given, decide not to proceed with confirming the registration. If the prospective voter was a woman, the registrar could ask who her husband was, either to ascertain her social status or to determine her race to decide how to proceed. Questions could be made more difficult depending on the registrar as he saw fit, and the potential for intimidation was always present.

Eugene Debs (pictured in the center) was the Presidential nominee of the Socialist Party

Poll taxes, literacy tests, and citizenship questions were all implemented to reduce the size of the electorate and reinforce the political strength of those in power. In particular these tactics were designed to discourage African Americans from voting. Almost 20 years before women received the right to vote, the Virginia Constitutional Convention met in 1902 to dismantle the Commonwealth’s Reconstruction-era constitution and reshape its political landscape in favor of white conservatives. The all white delegation came up with obstacles which effectively disenfranchised thousands of Virginians. Although poll taxes and tests on literacy and civics were meant to stop Black men from voting, it also meant many poor whites could not vote either. This was partly remedied by adding a “grandfather clause” that exempted anyone who either fought in the Civil War or was the descendant of a soldier from the new regulations. When women began registering and voting in the 1920 election, they too suffered from the laws created in 1902, especially Black women.

SOURCE Presidential outcome by county, 1920 Colorbrewer

Around 5,000 women were eligible to register in Lynchburg in the fall of 1920, but actual numbers were much lower. Only 33%, or 1,642 women, successfully registered. The number of men registered in the 1920 election was over 5,000. Low registration numbers could possibly reflect the regulations placed on potential voters and the lack of public support for women’s suffrage. Statewide, the figures tell a different story. The total number of women to register in Virginia was almost 571,000, trailing the number of men by only 5,000.

Parley Christensen, Presidential nominee of the Farmer- Labor Party

Voters showed up on November 2, 1920, to cast their votes. But voting was not easy, even once all of the registration requirements had been met. Voters had to use pencils to cross out the names of candidates they did not want to vote for and had to write “for” or “against” beside the constitutional amendments on the ballot. Large numbers of voters showed up that day and every precinct had long lines. The long wait time was attributed to voters taking longer than the designated two and a half minutes to complete their ballots. White people in Newport News were also upset that the lines were not segregated, and Black voters stood beside white men and women. When voting ended that evening, several hundred people did not get the chance to cast their vote, despite three of the voting locations bringing in additional booths throughout the day. So many people were left waiting that it was decided to add three additional precincts to facilitate future elections.

Polls were open from 6:43 a.m. (sunrise) to 5:19 p.m. (sunset) and a total of 3,414 Lynchburg voters had cast votes, with 2,726 votes for the president. Unfortunately, we do not know how many women actually cast their votes throughout the city, which was divided into three wards, each with its own voting precincts. The voting locations were as follows:

First Ward
- First precinct - Jenkins grocery store - Corner of Rivermont Avenue and D Street
- Second precinct - Kobre’s shoe shop, 613 Fifth Street
Second Ward
- First precinct- Fire Station No. 3, 908 Church Street
- Second precinct - Academy of Music office, 524-526 Main Street
- Third Precinct - Fire Station No. 6, 310 McKinley (now Fort) Avenue
Third Ward
- First precinct - Pace’s Warehouse, 1217-1221 Main Street
- Second precinct - Kinnier’s or Garner’s grocery store, 1717 Grace Street
- Third precinct - On Campbell Ave near 15th Street

Voters had the choice to vote for the President of the United States, a Senator, and someone to represent the Commonwealth in the US House of Representatives.

President

James Cox (Democratic)- won Virginia

Warren G. Harding (Republican)- won the national election

Eugene Debs (Socialist)

Parley Christensen (Farmer-Labor)

Aaron Watkins (Prohibition)

U.S. Senate

Carter Glass (Democratic)- winner

J. R. Pollard (Republican)

U.S. House of Representatives

James P. Woods (Democratic)- winner

W. M. Doak (Republican)

Virginians were also voting on six amendments to the state constitution. The amendments addressed changes in qualification for holders of municipal offices, changes in municipal governments, allowing women to serve as school trustees, increases in taxes to benefit schools, compulsory education, and road improvements. All six amendments passed in Lynchburg and the Commonwealth.

Republican Warren G. Harding, pictured on the far left, ultimately won the presidential election of 1920. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

One hundred years have passed since women were given the right to vote across the United States. Today, they make up a slightly higher percentage of voters than men in presidential elections. Voting is also significantly easier; the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed the prejudicial obstacles that stopped so many Black men and women from voting. Registering to vote no longer requires paying poll taxes and test taking. But challenges still exist for many people. Language barriers, lack of acceptable addresses, criminal records, limited poll hours, lack of transportation, and ID requirements still make it difficult for some citizens to cast their votes. However, increased early voting and mail-in ballots have remedied the problems for some. By the end of October 2020, more than 80 million people had already voted, and we will likely see a record turnout for the presidential election held November 3, 2020.

Poster encouraging African American voting created soon after the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress

Sources
“Cox Sweeps Lynchburg and Campbell County.” The News, 3 November 1920, p. 2, c. 5-6.
“Get the Voters Out.” The News, 7 November 2007, p. 12, c. 1.
“Lynchburg and Campbell Women Slow to Register.” The News, 3 September 1920.
“Polls Will Be Open Here 10 Hours and 32 Minutes.” The News, 2 November 1920, p. 1, c. 5-6.
Tarter, Brent, et al. The Campaign for Woman Suffrage in Virginia. The History Press, 2020.

Election of 1920

Lynchburg Museum System