History Colorado

Denver Public Library, Special Collections and Archives

Review the Parties and Symbols on the 1893 ballot.  Add text to explain what each of the parties and symbols mean and how they compare to today.

1893 Ballot for Pitkin County, Colorado, including the women's suffrage question (Equal Suffrage Approved/Not Approved) on the bottom of the ballot. 3 column ballot includes candidates for the People's Party, Pitkin County Citizen's Silver Ticket, and Democratic Ticket. Icons on the ballot include a house scene, an American Flag, and a rooster. The back of the ballot reads: "Official Ballot for Election Precinct No. 3. of Pitkin County, Colo. November 7, A.D. 1893, and is signed by James J. Warnock, the County Clerk of Pitkin County, Colorado." Richard Perry was marked twice on the ballot, possibly leading to it being invalidated.

Candidates on the front of the ballot include: Edward Farrell, Marvin L. Parr, Thomas H. Hayes, Michael C. McNichols, Michael O'R. Hughes, Edward M. Scanlan, Lee Hayes, Andrew J. McCormac, Henry T. West, and Owen Traynor from the People's Party. Richard Perry, Frank M. Yates, James T. Stewart, Walter S. Clark, Charles H. Allen, Edward C. Stimson, Eben C. Babbit, James McMurray, Henry E. Tamm, and Lawrence Andin from the Pitkin County Citizen's Silvert Party. George W. Gladden, Smith Cullom, John T. McCarthy, J. A. Harmon, Charles H. Allen, Uriah Taylor, George Nyce, and A. G. Stitt from the Democratic Party.

The original ballot is very thin and has several holes in it. Part of the Mini-MSS Collection, oversize.

Historical Note; Women in Colorado became the first in the nation to gain the vote through popular referendum, and this ballot is an example of the issue as it was given to voters. The suffrage issue won by 62% in Pitkin County, which was slightly higher than the rest of the state at 55%. The People Party, also known as the Populist Party, swept Pitkin County in 1893 with majorities for all its candidates.

Ballot, 1893 Pitkin County Ballot 1

Ballot, 1893 Pitkin County Ballot 2

Ballot, 1893 Pitkin County Ballot

Political Parties in 1893

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Political Parties in 1893

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