Garrett was declared elected as one of the first two women on the newly formed London School Board, a first for British women in public office.
On 14 November 1870, following the inaugural elections for the newly created London School Board—established under the Elementary Education Act 1870 to oversee schooling in the capital—the results were declared, and Elizabeth Garrett was confirmed as one of the first two women elected to the board, alongside fellow reformer Emily Davies.
This marked the first time a woman was elected to a school board anywhere in Britain, representing a landmark moment for women's participation in public administrative bodies at a time when women could not vote in general parliamentary elections and held virtually no formal political power.
Garrett's election demonstrated that women, once given the franchise in local elections (ratepayers, including some women, could vote and stand for school boards), could win substantial public support—she topped the poll in her constituency. Her position on the board allowed her to advocate for improved education, particularly for girls, and for practical health measures in schools.
The victory was widely covered in the press and served as a powerful symbol for the wider women's suffrage and rights movement, showing that women could hold public responsibility competently and be trusted by the electorate, reinforcing arguments for expanding women's political rights.