Name/Title
Easter Lily GatesEntry/Object ID
5-11956Tags
Women's History, Easter Lily GatesDescription
Easter Lily GatesPhotograph Details
Subject Person or Organization
Easter Lily GatesCollection
Women's History, History Fort Lauderdale Photograph CollectionCataloged By
Emeri CejkaLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Print, PhotographicNomenclature Primary Object Term
PhotographNomenclature Sub-Class
Graphic DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsGeneral Notes
Note Type
Historical NoteNote
Easter Lily Gates 1889-1985
Easter Lily was born on Easter Sunday in Iowa and moved to Fort Lauderdale with her first husband,
George, in 1918. When the hurricane of 1926 hit, the family lost everything. Unfortunately, George
died a few weeks later, and Easter Lily was tasked with finding a job to support herself and her two
young children. The job she found made her the first female school bus driver in Fort Lauderdale.
Nicknamed the “Woman of Iron” for all her hard work and dedication, Easter Lily served as the
Supervisor of Elections and Registration of Voters for Broward County. She won her first election by
2200 votes (Broward County only had 5000 voters at the time). Easter Lily was the first woman
President of the state Supervisors of Elections and was responsible for many changes in election
procedures during her 40 years in office.
During her tenure, she registered the first African Americans and the first nine Seminole Indians to vote
in the county. Her main focus was to get voting machines and permanent registration processes as the
county’s population soared. She ran unopposed for twenty years. During her second twenty years, she
met Republican opposition, but always won decisively.
Easter Lily was a 65-year member of the First United Methodist Church and a member of the Order of
the Eastern Star (O.E.S) Chapter #59 (Mason Fraternal Organization), the Zonta Club, the American
Bussiness Women’s Association (A.B.W.A.), and the Pioneer Club. She was active in the Water Seal
Campaign and was also a member of the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.
Easter Lily Gates storing election returns in the vault at the Broward County Court house.
History Fort Lauderdale Photograph CollectionCreated By
eandrews@historyfortlauderdale.orgCreate Date
November 28, 2023Updated By
eandrews@historyfortlauderdale.orgUpdate Date
November 28, 2023