California Proposition 4 (1911)
Encyclopedia
Proposition 4 of 1911 was an amendment of the Constitution of California that granted women the right to vote in the state for the first time. It was proposed by the California State Legislature
and approved by voters in a referendum
held as part of a special election on 10 October 1911. An earlier attempt to enfranchise women had been rejected in 1896, but in 1911 California
became the sixth U.S. state
to adopt the reform. Nine years later women's suffrage
was recognized at the federal level by the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
. This prohibited both the federal government and all of the states from denying women the right to vote.
Women's suffrage was a part of the Progressive Era
of reforms. On the same day as Proposition 4, voters enacted the modern system of direct democracy
in California, by approving Proposition 7
, which introduced the initiative
and the optional referendum, and Proposition 8
, which introduced the recall of public officials.
California State Legislature
The California State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of California. It is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the California State Assembly, with 80 members, and the upper house, the California State Senate, with 40 members...
and approved by voters in a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
held as part of a special election on 10 October 1911. An earlier attempt to enfranchise women had been rejected in 1896, but in 1911 California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
became the sixth U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
to adopt the reform. Nine years later women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
was recognized at the federal level by the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920....
. This prohibited both the federal government and all of the states from denying women the right to vote.
Women's suffrage was a part of the Progressive Era
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
of reforms. On the same day as Proposition 4, voters enacted the modern system of direct democracy
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
in California, by approving Proposition 7
California Proposition 7 (1911)
Proposition 7 of 1911 ) was an amendment of the Constitution of California that introduced, for the first time, the initiative and the optional referendum...
, which introduced the initiative
Initiative
In political science, an initiative is a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote...
and the optional referendum, and Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (1911)
Proposition 8 of 1911 was an amendment of the Constitution of California that introduced, for the first time, the recall of public officials. This allows the governor, state senators and assemblymen, and other elected officials to be removed from office early by a public vote...
, which introduced the recall of public officials.