Stella Alexander (American politician)

Alexander was born on July 2, 1881, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.{{Cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Phil |date=February 1, 2008 |title=Alexander, Stella (1881-1960) |url=https://www.historylink.org/File/8474 |access-date=October 20, 2023 |website=HistoryLink}} She was one of six children who were split apart when their parents separated. In her youth Alexander spent time living with her older sister and in an orphanage before entering indentured servitude for a man named Josiah Summy. Alexander was abandoned by Summy in California in 1895, when she was thirteen or fourteen years old. Alexander married Fredrick Burkhart in 1901, however, the marriage ended in divorce after Alexander discovered that her new husband was already married to another woman. Alexander's second marriage was to John Alexander in 1919. The two moved to Issaquah, Washington, shortly afterwards.

On March 8, 1932, Alexander was elected Mayor of Issaquah with 195 votes, earning a 59-vote majority over her opponent.{{Cite news |date=March 9, 1932 |title=Woman Is Elected Mayor of Issaquah by Majority of 59 |pages=7 |work=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-woman-is-elected-mayor/133760901/ |access-date=October 23, 2023}} The Seattle Star credited her win to a coalition of housewives and mothers in Issaquah.{{Cite news |date=March 14, 1932 |title=Efficiency, No Dirty Corners |pages=4 |work=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-efficiency-no-dirty-co/133760921/ |access-date=October 23, 2023}} Shortly after her election, Alexander outlined her plan for the community, saying that she would run the town government like "a model home." In June 1932, Alexander advocated for state and federal assistance to counter unemployment in Washington to a state-wide meeting of mayors, an advocacy that was adopted unanimously.{{Cite news |date=June 19, 1932 |title=Mayors in Favor of Program of Relief |pages=8 |work=The Olympian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-mayors-in-favor-of-program/133760972/ |access-date=October 23, 2023}}

On July 21, 1933, a recall petition was filed against Alexander accusing her of committing malfeasance and of violating her oath of office. The recall petition was signed by 202 of the town's residents, more than the majority that had elected her.{{Cite news |date=July 22, 1933 |title=May Oust Issaquah "Petticoat Rule" |pages=1 |work=The Tacoma Daily Ledger |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tacoma-daily-ledger-may-oust-issaqua/133941105/ |access-date=October 23, 2023}} Charles McQuade, a member of Issaquah's town council, commented that "we elected her mayor, but she thinks she's the dictator and is trying to run the whole show."{{Cite news |date=July 22, 1933 |title=Woman Mayor Faces Recall |pages=5 |work=The Daily Olympian |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-olympian-woman-mayor-faces-rec/133760997/ |access-date=October 23, 2023}} Alexander had lost the support of nearly the entire town government, with three members of the town council resigning, the town treasurer refusing to process any expenses, and the fire chief quitting.{{Cite web |last=Nofil |first=Brianna |date=July 6, 2016 |title=In the 1920s, the Now-Forgotten Flood of ‘Girl Mayors’ Became the Face of Feminism |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/in-the-1920s-the-nowforgotten-flood-of-girl-mayors-became-the-face-of-feminism |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=Atlas Obscura}} Upon his departure, the town's former fire chief said that Alexander would "have to haul the truck and fight the flames herself" if a fire broke out.{{Cite news |date=July 24, 1933 |title=Woman Mayor on Hot Spot |pages=11 |work=The Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-spokesman-review-woman-mayor-on-hot/133761103/ |access-date=October 23, 2023}} Tensions quickly boiled over in the town, with a riot breaking out and causing multiple injuries. The city council named McQuade mayor pro tem and Alexander responded by attempting to appoint a replacement council unilaterally. The dispute went to court, with a King County Superior Court judge ruling that Alexander did not have the authority to appoint a new council but also invalidating the recall petition.{{Cite news |date=August 8, 1933 |title=Woman Mayor to Appeal Case |page=2 |newspaper=The News Tribune |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-woman-mayor-to-appeal-c/133761154/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=August 9, 1933 |title=Court Sustains Woman Mayor |page=3 |newspaper=The Columbian |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-columbian-court-sustains-woman-mayor/133761195/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The judge described the proceedings as being "contrary to statutes" because Alexander had not received proper notification of the recall petition.

On August 16, a second recall effort began. The petitioners waited to file the petitions until after making a notification of charges in order to avoid the procedural issues that had doomed the previous effort.{{Cite news |date=August 17, 1933 |title=Another Recall Movement Faces Issaquah Mayor |page=1 |newspaper=The Tacoma Daily Ledger |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tacoma-daily-ledger-another-recall-m/133761266/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=August 17, 1933 |title=Move to Oust Woman Mayor |page=7 |newspaper=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-move-to-oust-woman-mayo/133761287/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} This recall quickly also failed and a third petition was filed on September 29. In November, Alexander sued the organizers of the effort for defamation, claiming that it had caused "humiliation and damage to her health".{{Cite news |date=November 2, 1933 |title=Washington News Items of Interest |page=3 |newspaper=Kennewick Courier-Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-herald-washington-news-items-of/133761400/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The following day, Alexander lost a case to prevent the second recall, with the judge ruling that the truth of allegations had no bearing on whether a recall vote could occur.{{Cite news |date=November 3, 1933 |title=Woman Mayor Faces Recall |page=13 |newspaper=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-woman-mayor-faces-recal/133761423/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The recall campaign was characterized by sharp rhetoric, with Alexander's opponents describing her as "Madame Mussolini" and accusing her of instituting an "illegal feminine dictatorship".{{Cite news |date=January 2, 1934 |title=Fighting Mayor of Issaquah Faces Votes |page=1 |newspaper=The Olympian |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-olympian-fighting-mayor-of-iss/133761566/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The recall election occurred on January 2, 1934, and Alexander was recalled with 206 votes in favor and 85 against.{{Cite news |date=January 1, 1934 |title=Issaquah Will Vote on Recall Tomorrow |page=1 |newspaper=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-issaquah-will-vote-on-r/133761465/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |date=January 3, 1934 |title=Voters Recall Woman Mayor |page=1 |newspaper=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-voters-recall-woman-may/133761584/ |access-date=October 28, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Alexander remained in relatively good spirits after being recalled, joking to The News Tribune that "Next time [she'll] go out for a big job."{{Cite news |date=January 3, 1934 |title=Woman Rule Closes at Issaquah |page=1 |newspaper=The News Tribune |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune-woman-rule-closes-at-is/133761604/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} In the days following the recall, Alexander received support from former Mayor of Seattle Bertha Landes, who had made history as the first woman elected mayor of a major American city.{{Cite news |date=January 4, 1934 |title=Extends Sympathy |page=28 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle-extends-sympathy/133761656/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite web |last=Cashman |first=Chris |date=March 2, 2023 |title=Remembering Seattle's first woman mayor during Women's History Month |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattles-first-woman-mayor/281-e4d57e0d-cb03-4650-842c-dbe91513fc05 |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=King5}} Despite her initial good spirits, Alexander refused to return the keys to town hall for a week after the election, preventing the interim mayor from officially taking power.{{Cite news |date=January 8, 1934 |title=Petticoat Rule Has Whip Hand |page=12 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle-petticoat-rule-has-whi/133761735/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} The keys were eventually returned on the night of January 8. The city council's first post-recall action was to pay off several of the town's bills, which they had previously accused Alexander of incurring illegally.{{Cite news |date=January 9, 1934 |title=Males Abolish Petticoat Rule |page=12 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle-males-abolish-petticoa/133761866/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}

Alexander sought political office several more times in the following years. In 1934, she ran for the mayoral position again but lost, receiving only three votes.{{Cite news |date=March 15, 1934 |title=Stella Alexander Seeks Vindication But Gets 3 Votes |page=8 |newspaper=The Bellingham Herald |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bellingham-herald-stella-alexander-s/133761901/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} Later that year she filed to run for state representative as a Republican.{{Cite news |date=August 3, 1934 |title=Seeks Nomination |page=6 |newspaper=Spokane Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/spokane-chronicle-seeks-nomination/133761934/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1938, Alexander ran for the same state representative position as a Democrat.{{Cite news |date=September 7, 1938 |title=Stella Alexander Runs |page=2 |newspaper=The Seattle Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-seattle-star-stella-alexander-runs/133761959/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She sought the Republican nomination for Secretary of State of Washington in 1940.{{Cite news |date=August 11, 1940 |title=Tickets Filled For Primaries |page=14 |newspaper=The Olympian |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-olympian-tickets-filled-for-primarie/133761989/ |access-date=November 3, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}} She did not make the ballots in 1934 or 1938, but in 1940 she received 12,233 votes (2.80% of the total).{{Cite web |title=Elections Search Results - September 1940 Primary |url=https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=91&c=&c2=&t=&t2=2&p=&p2=&y= |access-date=November 3, 2023 |website=Washington Secretary of State}}

Alexander left Issaquah for Renton in 1936, three years after being recalled. She and her husband purchased a hotel there, which they managed together. After her husband's death in 1950, Alexander sold the hotel and most of her other property in order to live off the proceeds. She died in a Seattle hotel on January 8, 1960.

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUP51Vdgzyg Uniquely Issaquah Episode 10: Stella Alexander, Issaquah's First Female Mayor]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Stella}}

Category:People from Issaquah, Washington

Category:Women mayors of places in Washington (state)

Category:Recalled American mayors

Category:1881 births

Category:1960 deaths

Category:People from Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Category:People from Renton, Washington

Category:20th-century mayors of places in Washington (state)

Category:20th-century American women politicians

Category:Washington (state) city council members

Category:Women city councillors in Washington (state)