Susanna M. Salter elected first female mayor in the United States
- When
- 1887–1888
- Where
- Argonia, Kansas
- Episodes
- 2
Susanna Madora Salter was elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas, on April 4, 1887, becoming the first woman to serve in that role in the United States. Her election resulted from a political stunt by men intended to humiliate women, but she accepted the office and served as mayor from 1887 to 1888.
Episodes
- First Council Meeting
A correspondent of the New York Sun attended one of the first city council meetings presided over by Mayor Salter.
- Election Day
Salter was elected mayor on April 4, 1887, after agreeing to accept office, leading the WCTU to vote for her en masse.
Background and detail
Election. Salter was elected mayor on April 4, 1887. Her name had been placed on a slate of candidates as a stunt by a group of men hoping to secure a loss that would humiliate women. When she agreed to accept office if elected, the Women's Christian Temperance Union abandoned its own preferred candidate and voted for Salter en masse.
Aftermath. Although her term was uneventful, her election generated national interest from the press, sparking a debate regarding the feasibility of other towns following Argonia's lead. One of the first city council meetings over which the newly elected Mayor Salter presided was attended by a correspondent of the New York Sun.
People involved
- Susanna Madora Salter · Mayor of Argonia
- Women's Christian Temperance Union · Voting bloc
- Group of men · Political stunt organizers
Sources
- Susanna M. Salter Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-08
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.