A.P.A. Secures Victory in Ballard School Election
The American Protective Association flexes its political muscle in a high-turnout school board race.
The Ballard school election yesterday resulted in a victory for the A. P. A., W. W. DeLong being chosen for director and F. W. Frazer for clerk. A total of 573 votes were cast, the largest number ever polled in that city. The A. P. A. nominated DeLong and Frazer, and the opposition nominated J. Conaway and Grant Putnam. A vote on validating and ratifying the outstanding debt of the district was also taken. The A. P. A. and W. A. P. A. were out in full force, and, being well organized, did effective work for their candidates. A large number of women voted, perhaps one-half of the total vote cast being by women. The A. P. A. and W. A. P. A. have been preparing for the contest for weeks and are accordingly jubilant.
“A large number of women voted, perhaps one-half of the total vote cast being by women.”
The American Protective Association was a nativist, anti-Catholic political organization that exerted significant influence in the Pacific Northwest during the 1890s. This election highlights the era's intense sectarian politics and the early mobilization of women voters in local school board contests.
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