Before the 19th Amendment, how could women gain the right to vote?

The correct answer is that women could gain the right to vote through state laws. Before the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, which granted women the federal right to vote, some states took the initiative to allow women to vote in certain elections. This process varied significantly from one state to another, with some states, primarily in the West, adopting laws that enabled women to participate in the electoral process.

For example, Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote in 1869, and this influenced other states as well. The gradual acceptance of women's suffrage at the state level demonstrated a growing acknowledgment of women's rights and set a precedent that contributed to the national movement for suffrage. The patchwork of state laws helped to establish momentum for the eventual federal constitutional amendment.

In contrast to this option, federal legislation, public referendums, and judicial appointments did not directly facilitate women's suffrage before the 19th Amendment. The movement for women's suffrage was primarily localized at the state level until it became a national concern leading to the federal constitutional change.