Mary Godat Bellamy

Mary Godat Bellamy was the first woman elected to the Wyoming State Legislature in 1910. Bellamy was elected from Albany County and served a second term in 1918. She had worked as a school teacher and had run for County Superintendent of Schools in 1888. Bellamy lost that race having gained 47% of the votes. She was elected as county superintendent in 1902 and 1904. Bellamy had been active in suffrage and local politics before her election. Bellamy supported an eight hour day for women and children, supported labor, prisoner's rights and some temperance measures. She was a strong supporter of women's abilities for public office and in one speech had said: "Men are usually willing to elect those [women] that run. You see in Wyoming, when it comes to politics, the men don't think of women as women but as citizens. They are willing to accord us equal rights with themselves, to consider what we want, and if it seems desirable, to grant it...Between the men and the women of this state there is a sympathetic understanding and the best kind of cooperation...working together for the good of Wyoming. There is no sex antagonism here and consequently no opposition to women's holding office."