The House of Representatives passed the 19th amendment on May 21, 1919, and the Senate approved it on June 4, 1919. Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan had ratified the amendment the following week. On March 22, 1920, Washington became the 35th state to ratify the amendment and with one more state needed for full ratification, it was possible that women would be voting in that year’s Presidential election. Yet those hopes began to hang balance as the next three states, Mississippi, Delaware, and Louisiana, rejected the amendment.
Proposed amendments are sent to the Governor of each State, who then formally submits the amendment to their State legislatures. The Connecticut General Assembly ends its' legislative year on June 30th. Governor Holcomb did not submit the amendment for that year. The Connecticut Woman’s Suffrage Association began a campaign drive to make Connecticut the 36th and final State needed. By May 10, 1920, 103,000 signatures were given to Governor Holcomb demanding a special session of the General Assembly to consider the amendment. Holcomb publicly refused. On August 18, 1920, it appeared that Tennessee had ratified the amendment by one vote. At the insistence of his mother, 24 year-old Harry Burn changed his vote. Those against the amendment managed to delay official ratification while anti-suffrage legislators fled the state to avoid a quorum. Some made their way to Connecticut to keep the State from considering the amendment. However, Tennessee reaffirmed its vote and delivered the crucial 36th ratification necessary for final adoption.
