She was first elected to the office of Secretary of State in 1922 , two years after the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote . The people of New Mexico nicknamed her " Lala " , during her time in office . She served another two-year term in 1924 . During that time , she served as the first female acting governor with substantial powers of a U.S. state , when James F. Hinkle , governor at the time , left the state to go to the Democratic National Convention in New York City ( the first female acting governor was Carolyn B. Shelton of Oregon in February-March 1909 ) . Later on in life , she was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives , serving for two years before dying of peritonitis
Democratic National Convention
1924 Democratic National Convention
Soledad C. Chacón