Existing comment:
New Jersey Women Gain, then Lose the Vote
The American Revolution roused the former colonies to rewrite their state constitutions and redefine voting rights. The 1776 New Jersey state constitution granted suffrage to all inhabitants meeting certain age, property, and residency requirements, thereby allowing some women to vote in local and state elections. This groundbreaking change lasted only thirty-one years, ending in 1807 with a state law restricting the vote to "free, white, male citizens" at least twenty-one years old and "worth fifty pounds." |