So Minnesota: Missing film footage of historical South St. Paul vote discovered after a century

Many will vote during Minnesota’s primary election next Tuesday.

A historic ballot was cast more than a century ago in South St. Paul, and it was captured on film.

In 1920, a group of South St. Paul women became the first in the nation to legally vote following ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

“We know 90 women voted that day,” said Matt Carter with the Dakota County Historical Society.

Marguerite Newburgh cast the first ballot for a water bond referendum. Pictures of Newburgh were taken, and newspaper reports said a film crew captured the historic day on camera.

“We know through the newspaper there was film basically taken of this event,” Carter said.

No one ever saw the footage, and many didn’t know if it still existed. A few years ago, an eagle-eyed staff member at the historical society watched a documentary on women’s voting rights and spotted Newburgh.

“It was amazing,” Ca...