Washington White Males Who Speak English May Vote, Amendment 2 (1896)

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Washington Constitution
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State of Washington Constitutional Amendment 2 was a legislatively-referred constitutional amendment to the Washington State Constitution. It was on the November 1896 ballot in the State of Washington, where it was approved.

Amendment 2 amended Article VI, Section 1 of the Washington State Constitution to read:

QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS - All male persons of the age of twenty-one years or over, possessing the following qualifications, shall be entitled to vote at all elections: They shall be citizens of the United States; they shall have lived in the state one year, and in the county ninety days, and in the city, town, ward or precinct thirty days immediately preceding the election at which they offer to vote; they shall be able to read and speak the English language: Provided, That Indians not taxed shall never be allowed the elective franchise: And further provided, That this amendment shall not effect [affect] the right of franchise of any person who is now a qualified elector of this state. The legislature shall enact laws defining the manner of ascertaining the qualifications of voters as to their ability to read and speak the English language, and providing for punishment of persons voting or registering in violation of the provisions of this section.

It was the 2nd amendment approved to the Washington State Constitution subsequent to its adoption in 1889.

Fourteen years later, Washington voters approved Washington Women's Right to Vote, Amendment to Article VI Sec. 1 (1910), which added one line, "There shall be no denial of the elective franchise at any election on account of sex" to what Amendment 2 had approved.

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