Sarah Burger Stearns (November 30, 1836 – October 26, 1904) was a social reformer and a leader in the woman's suffrage movement in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

[2][1] Stearns and Mary Colburn (and "friends of equality") petitioned the legislature for an amendment to strike the word male from the section of the Minnesota State Constitution which enfranchised "every male person," as a means to provide women with the right to vote.

[4] In 1869, Susan B. Anthony traveled through the Midwest encouraging women to form local affiliates of the National Woman Suffrage Association.

[1] Stearns was characterized in a local newspaper as "a power in the young community [Duluth] as well as in the state of Minnesota".

Stearns and her colleagues persuaded both political parties to phrase the ballot, "For the amendment of Article VII relating to electors–Yes".

[7] After passage of the amendment, Stearns spoke at women's meetings, informing them of their new rights and campaigning for two female candidates from Minneapolis.

In 1883, she stepped down due to ill health but accepted presidency of the Equal Rights League in Duluth.

Sarah was chair of the Los Angeles Suffrage League in 1900, and she continued to work for women's rights until her death on January 26, 1904.

[2] In her obituary, Stearns is called "one of the most prominent platform orators in the cause of woman suffrage and temperance".

[16] In 1996, a memorial garden was built on the grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol, to observe the 75th anniversary of the suffrage movement.