Checking the California Voter Registrations for a Female Ancestor

I am taking the virtual GRIP class “Marching Toward Change: Reformers, Crises, and Movements that Transformed 19th and 20th Century America,” coordinated by Katherine R. Willson. One session yesterday (Tuesday) was about women’s rights and suffrage taught by Gena Philibert-Ortega.

I started thinking if I had checked out that database for my female family members. California gave the vote to women in 1911. My grandmother’s aunt, Mary Martha (Gleeson) Gilbert, was living in California at that time. She was the daughter of John Gleeson and Margaret Tierney, and my great-grandaunt.

Warren, Mary, Anna (her sister), Lorene (Anna's daughter), Muriel, John Sullivan (Anna's father) c. 1923

Did she register to vote? Ancestry has a California Voter Registration collection, so let's check it out.

I did not find her in 1912, but did in 1914. She and her husband, Warren E. Gilbert, were listed living at 2343 Scarff Street in Los Angeles. He registered as a Democrat and she registered but did not state a party.

I located more registrations from 1920 through 1950. By 1920, they were living at 829 S. Lake Street. Their daughter, Muriel, also registered to vote. In some of the years, I also found Mary’s siblings and her stepson living at the same address. It is possible the address was an apartment building and her siblings lived in different apartments.

Below are some of the years I was able to capture of their registrations. I think it pretty cool that she registered to vote when she could in California and continued to register after the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920.

1914.

• No. 442 Warren E, slsmn, 2343 Scarff st, Dem
• No. 118 Gilbert, Mrs. M Martha, hswf, 2343 Scarff st, NS
• No. 120 Gilbert, Warren E, prmtr, 2343 Scarff st, Dem[1]

COMMENT: Something is wrong here, as Warren is listed twice with different occupations. My guess, one of them might have been a Gilman, as Mrs. Orange M Gilman is numbered before 442 Gilbert. This is an index, so there can be a transcription error. However, checking the city directory for 1915, Mrs. Orange M Gilman was listed alone at that address.

1920.

• No. 112, Gilbert, Mrs. Mary M, hswf, 829 S Lake St, D
• No. 113, Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, tchr, 829 S Lake st, DS
• No. 114, Gilbert, Warren E, slsmn, 829 S Lake St, D[2]

1924.

• Mary was housewife at 829 S Lake st. registered as Republican
• Muriel, at home, same address, registered as Republican
• Warren, clrcl L.A. Gas, registered as Republican.[3]

1928

• Gilbert, Mrs. M. Martha, 829 Lake St, hswf, D
• Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, 829 S Lake st, clrk, D
• Gilbert, Warren E, 829 S Lake st, rtrd, D[4]

1930

• Gilbert, Mrs. Mary Martha, 829 S Lake st, hswf, D
• Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, 829 S Lake st, hskpr, D[5]

1932

• Gilbert, Clarence J, 829 S Lake St, R
• Gilbert, Mrs. Mary Martha, 829 S Lake St, D
• Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, 829 S Lake St, D[6]

COMMENT: Mary’s husband died in 1930. His son, Clarence, was living with Mary.

1934

• Gilbert, Clarence J, 829 S Lake st, D
• Gilbert, Mrs. Mary Martha, 829 S Lake St, D
• Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, 829 S Lake St, D
• Gleeson, Miss Elizabeth M, 829 S Lake St, D[7]

COMMENT: Mary’s stepson, Clarence and her sister, Elizabeth, were living with her.

1936.

• Gilbert, Mrs. Mary M, 829 S Lake St, housewife, Dem
• Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, 829 S Lake St, secretary, Dem
• Gleeson, Miss Elizabeth M, 829 S Lake St, housewife, Dem
• Gleeson, Frank T, 829 S Lake St, construction engineer[8]

COMMENT: Mary’s sister Elizabeth and brother Frank were living with her.

1942.

• Mary M. Gilbert was housewife, registered as a Democrat.
• Muriel M. gilbert was a secretary, registered as a Democrat.[9]

1948.

• Gilbert, Mrs. Mary M, 829 S Lake St, Dem
• Gilbert, Miss Muriel M, 829 S Lake St, Dem
• Gleeson, Miss Helena M, 829 S Lake St, Dem[10]

COMMENT: Mary’s sister, Helena, was living with them.

---

[1] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/61066_i111491-01104 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1920 > roll 010 > image 238 of 788, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 408, no. 118, Mrs. M. Martha Gilbert.

[2] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_10-0238 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1920 > roll 010 > image 238 of 788, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 215, no. 112, Mrs. Mary M. Gilbert.

[3] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_22-00630 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1928 > roll 022 > image 631 of 743, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 451, no. 46, Mrs. Mary M Gilbert.

[4] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_22-00630 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1928 > Roll 022 > image 631 of 743, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 598, Mrs. M. Martha Gilbert.

[5] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_26-0348 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1930 > Roll 026 > 348 of 828, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 732, Mrs. Mary Martha Gilbert.

[6] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_30-00767 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1932 > Roll 030 > image 768 of 1077, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 717, Mrs. Mary Martha Gilbert.

[7] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_34-0845 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles > 1934 > Roll 034 > image 845 of 1089, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 717, Mrs. Mary Martha Gilbert.

[8] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_39-0112 : accessed 23 Jun 2026 > Los Angeles County > 1936 > Roll 039 > image 112 of 929, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 978, Mrs. Mary M. Gilbert.

[9] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61066/records/20567928 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1942 > Roll 056 > image 100 of 1076, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 979-A, Mrs. Mary M. Gilbert.

[10] “California, U.S., Voter Registrations, 1900-1968,” imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61066/images/losangelescounty_73-0690 : accessed 23 Jun 2026) > Los Angeles County > 1948 > Roll 073 > image 690 of 1047, Index to Register of Voters, Los Angeles City Precinct No. 998, Mrs. Mary M. Gilbert.

Copyright © 2011-2026 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.