The Wisconsin Woman Suffrage Association (originally named the Wisconsin Woman's Suffrage Association) was formed in 1882 following nearly two decades of local and statewide suffrage organizing activities. The new group initiated legislative and court actions, at first aimed at school and municipal elections, designed to win voting rights for women. Rev. Olympia Brown was chosen as WWSA president, but the organization which she oversaw never developed the wide base of support necessary for success. By 1910, WWSA membership had fallen to less than 70, and Rev. Brown's leadership was challenged by younger members seeking a change in the direction of the organization. On April 4, 1911 several of these members left the WWSA, and formed the Political Equality League, with Ada James as the first president.
Both organizations continued to press for suffrage reform, although the PEL soon surpassed the WWSA in size and energy. Each group established headquarters in Milwaukee and employed professional organizers for the first time. Under James's leadership, the PEL assumed an active role in the suffrage movement, as contrasted to the passivism of the WWSA, despite occasional cooperative endeavors on specific activities. Belle Case La Follette worked with the PEL, and following her advice, the League (and ultimately the WWSA as well) began to organize at the grassroots level, conducting suffrage auto tours, membership drives, fund raising, and other publicity events.
The major effort of both the PEL and WWSA was directed toward enlisting voter support for the November 1912 suffrage referendum in Wisconsin. The suffragists campaigned throughout Wisconsin, speaking at state and county fairs, sending letters, conducting auto tours, holding rallies and sponsoring advertisements in newspapers. Although the referendum was defeated by a large margin, the suffrage groups provided much publicity for their cause, and promoted a new awareness of women's issues.
In 1913, the Political Equality League and the Wisconsin Woman Suffrage Association merged under the name of the Association. Work for woman suffrage continued, but ultimate success did not come until June 1919, when Wisconsin became the first state to ratify the newly-passed Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, extending the rights of suffrage to women.
