February 7, 1917

The Primary Suffrage Bill, HB 340, which enfranchised women to vote in primary elections, was introduced. It passed the House by a vote of 54–27, and on February 27, the Senate’s 17–15 “yea” vote gave full passage. HB 340 was a significant victory, making Arkansas the first non-suffrage state that allowed women to vote in Democratic primary elections. John Andrew Riggs was the author of the bill. Riggs was a pioneer, politician, early aviator, patent medicine business proprietor, and father of women’s suffrage in Arkansas.