Ida May Harp Casts Her Ballot

04 Jan Ida May Harp Casts Her Ballot

November 2, 1920

Ida May Harp Casts Her Ballot

Several generations of women suffrage supporters had marched, lobbied, and even practiced civil disobedience to achieve what many Americans considered a radical change to the Constitution. Ratified in August of 1920, the 19^th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted women the right to vote.

In Fayette County, Miss May Harp cast her first ballot on November 2^nd, 1920 and continued voting for another 69 years, past her 100^th birthday. Her first ballot was dropped in a “piece board box”. May Harp lived in Inman at the time but had to go over to Woolsey to vote. She said you had to “write your age, and Sally, one of my cousins didn’t want to. I told her I wasn’t ashamed of my age.”

She did not recall who she voted for in that first election, but she always thought she was voting for the right person and said no one ever tried to influence her vote.

Ida May Harp was born January 25, 1889 and died March 19, 1998. The City established a park on part of her property on Jeff Davis Drive.

Sources: ourdocuments.gov

Fayette Sun & Southside; Jan 26, 1989

Fayette County News; Jan 21, 1989

South Fulton Extra, Jan 26, 1989

By Angela Pendleton