McLean Signs First Proclamation as Mayor of Boise: Boise Suffrage Day

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean issued and signed a proclamation declaring the 29^th of January 2020, Boise Suffrage Day.

Mayor McLean said that because this was a year of many firsts, it was fitting that her first official announcement would celebrate the individuals who mobilized and empowered women to advocate for suffrage. At the same time, she recognized that despite this amendment, many women were not able to exercise their right to vote on account of race, class, citizenship, gender, immigration, political identity, religion and values.

"It was my honor to sign my first proclamation last night, both commemorating 100 years of suffrage for some (but not all) women and giving voice to history’s powerful lessons about true inclusion and equality,” said Mayor McLean.

The proclamation marks the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment, guaranteeing the right to vote to citizens of the United States regardless of sex. It also acknowledges that twenty-four years earlier, in 1896, an Idaho constitutional amendment secured women’s right to vote in Idaho, making it the fourth state in the nation after Wyoming, Utah and Colorado. The proclamation speaks to the importance of bringing Boiseans together to talk about contemporary civic participation, ensuring that all people—including, but not limited to, those who have been historically underrepresented based on race or ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, citizenship status or religion—are represented and have access to their government.

Mayor McLean’s signing of the proclamation took place at the launch of a year-long commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment, with the opening of “Standing Together: Women’s Ongoing Fight for Equality,” a traveling exhibit developed by the National Woman's Party and put on by the Boise City Department of Arts & History. The exhibit explores the impact of the 1920 passage of the amendment and the issues still confronting the women’s rights movement today. The installation—which is free and open to the public—will be on view in Boise City Hall Lobby through September 2020 during regular hours.

The department of Arts & History will also host a series of programs and events throughout the year commemorating suffrage, titled #SoWeDid. Learn more at www.boiseartsandhistory.org/suffrage.