William Michael McKinley (June 1, 1879 – August 12, 1964) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives. He was the Speaker of the Illinois House from January 29, 1913, to January 8, 1915.
In the 1912 election, he was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives as one of three representatives from the 21st district alongside Harry L. Shaver and Franklin S. Catlan.[1] That election cycle, the Democratic Party held a plurality of 71 members in the chamber with the Republicans at 52 members, the Progressives at 27, and the Socialists at 3 members. Each ran its own candidate. McKinley was proposed by Roger Charles Sullivan as a compromise candidate among several Democratic factions.[5] He was elected Speaker and took the post on January 29, 1913.[3][2] He was elected by a combination of Democrats, Republicans, and Progressive.[6]
As speaker, McKinley played a key role in the passage of the law granting Illinois women municipal and presidential suffrage, which was enacted on June 26, 1913. After being lobbied by both proponents and opponents of the cause, McKinley moved the bill to a legislative vote, the first time such a bill had gone to vote in the state legislature.[7] According to the Rockford Republican, "McKinley’s fiancée had refused to formalize their engagement until the suffrage bill passed."[8] The act made Illinois the first state east of the Mississippi River to give women the right to vote for President.[9]
Post-legislative career
In 1914, McKinley ran for judge.[10] After his single term in office, he maintained his law practice and was a financial supporter of Blackburn College.[11] McKinley died August 12, 1964, in Glenview, Illinois, where he had resided for the two prior years.[4][2]
^ abc"RISE IN CAREER OF NEW SPEAKER: William McKinley, Now 32 Started Life in Iowa as School Teacher". Chicago Tribune. January 30, 1913. p. 2 – via ProQuest.
^ ab"McKinley, 85, Dies; Lawyer, Legislator". ProQuest. August 13, 1964. p. n20.
^Morton, Richard. Roger C. Sullivan and the Triumph of the Chicago Democratic Machine, 1908–1920. McFarland & Company. p. 105.
^Trout, Grace Wilbur (1920). "Side Lights on Illinois Suffrage History". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 13 (2): 152. ISSN0019-2287. JSTOR40194491.
^News of the Day Concerning Chicago The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.), 25 June 1914. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.