Female state legislators in the United States
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/US_map._Percentage_of_state_legislature_that_is_female._By_state.svg/300px-US_map._Percentage_of_state_legislature_that_is_female._By_state.svg.png)
Women have served in state legislatures in the United States since 1895. Their ranks have increased with the advent of nationwide women's suffrage after 1920. Although the number of women serving in state legislatures has more than quintupled since 1971,[2] they remain underrepresented. In 2023, women held less than half of the seats in state legislatures across the majority of states.[3] Specifically, seven states —Oklahoma (19.2%), Louisiana (19.4%), Alabama (17.4%), South Carolina (14.8%), Mississippi (14.5%), Tennessee (14.4%), and West Virginia (11.9%)— had legislatures where women occupied less than 20% of the seats.[3]
Table. US states and Washington, DC. 2023
[edit]- Rank is by overall percent. D.C. is not ranked. Duplicate ranks if same overall percent.
- D is Democrat. R is Republican. Ind is Independent. NP is non-partisan.
- Location links are for "Politics of LOCATION" or "Government of LOCATION" links.
Location | Rank | Senate | Senate ratio | House | House ratio | Overall ratio | Overall percent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 46 | 3D, 1R | 4/35 | 10D, 10R | 20/105 | 24/140 | 17.1 |
![]() | 25 | 2D, 3R | 5/20 | 7D, 6R, 2Ind | 15/40 | 20/60 | 33.3 |
![]() | 2 | 11D, 5R | 16/30 | 20D, 9R | 29/60 | 45/90 | 50.0 |
![]() | 43 | 2D, 3R | 5/35 | 10D, 16R | 26/100 | 31/135 | 23.0 |
![]() | 11 | 15D, 3R | 18/40 | 27D, 5R | 32/80 | 50/120 | 41.7 |
![]() | 3 | 11D, 2R | 13/35 | 30D, 5R | 35/65 | 48/100 | 48.0 |
![]() | 16 | 10D, 2R | 12/36 | 39D, 19R | 58/151 | 70/187 | 37.4 |
![]() | 20 | 8D, 0R | 8/21 | 14D, 0R | 14/41 | 22/62 | 35.5 |
![]() | 12 | 7D, 9R | 16/40 | 25D, 15R | 50/120 | 66/160 | 41.3 |
![]() | 21 | 14D, 2R | 16/56 | 46D, 19R | 65/180 | 81/236 | 34.3 |
![]() | 18 | 8D, 0R | 8/25 | 18D, 2R | 20/51 | 28/76 | 36.8 |
![]() | 30 | 4D, 7R | 11/35 | 5D, 16R | 21/70 | 32/105 | 30.5 |
![]() | 10 | 20D, 5R | 25/59 | 43D, 6R | 49/118 | 74/177 | 41.8 |
![]() | 38 | 3D, 7R | 10/50 | 15D, 16R | 31/100 | 41/150 | 27.3 |
![]() | 35 | 8D, 7R | 15/50 | 16D, 13R | 29/100 | 44/150 | 29.3 |
![]() | 32 | 7D, 10R | 17/40 | 17D, 16R | 33/125 | 50/165 | 30.3 |
![]() | 31 | 4D, 5R | 9/38 | 15D, 18R | 33/100 | 42/138 | 30.4 |
![]() | 42 | 2D, 3R | 5/39 | 11D, 18R | 29/105 | 34/144 | 23.6 |
![]() | 7 | 11D, 3R | 14/35 | 48D, 19R | 67/151 | 81/186 | 43.5 |
![]() | 9 | 14D, 1R | 15/47 | 57D, 7R | 64/141 | 79/188 | 42.0 |
![]() | 29 | 11D, 0R | 11/40 | 46D, 4R, 1Ind | 51/160 | 62/200 | 31.0 |
![]() | 14 | 12D, 3R | 15/38 | 31D, 12R | 43/110 | 58/148 | 39.2 |
![]() | 17 | 19D, 3R | 22/67 | 36D, 17R | 53/134 | 75/201 | 37.3 |
![]() | 47 | 2D, 7R | 9/52 | 7D, 9R, 2Ind | 18/122 | 27/174 | 15.5 |
![]() | 36 | 5D, 7R | 12/34 | 28D, 17R | 45/163 | 57/197 | 28.9 |
![]() | 26 | 10D, 4R | 14/50 | 15D, 19R | 34/100 | 48/150 | 32.0 |
![]() | 19 | 18NP | 18/49 | n/a | unicameral | 18/49 | 36.7 |
![]() | 1 | 9D, 4R | 13/21 | 20D, 5R | 25/42 | 38/63 | 60.3 |
![]() | 15 | 7D, 5R | 12/24 | 101D, 49R | 150/400 | 162/424 | 38.2 |
![]() | 24 | 8D, 2R | 10/40 | 25D, 6R | 31/80 | 41/120 | 34.2 |
![]() | 6 | 10D, 1R | 11/42 | 31D, 7R | 38/70 | 49/112 | 43.8 |
![]() | 21 | 17D, 3R | 20/63 | 50D, 3R | 53/150 | 73/213 | 34.3 |
![]() | 34 | 13D, 4R | 17/50 | 24D, 9R | 33/120 | 50/170 | 29.4 |
![]() | 41 | 1D, 7R | 8/47 | 9D, 18R | 27/94 | 35/141 | 24.8 |
![]() | 37 | 3D, 5R | 8/33 | 13D, 17R | 30/99 | 38/132 | 28.8 |
![]() | 45 | 5D, 5R | 10/48 | 10D, 9R | 19/101 | 29/149 | 19.5 |
![]() | 13 | 7D, 2R | 9/30 | 18D, 10R | 28/60 | 37/90 | 41.1 |
![]() | 26 | 8D, 9R | 17/50 | 37D, 27R | 64/203 | 81/253 | 32.0 |
![]() | 8 | 14D, 2R | 16/38 | 30D, 3R | 33/75 | 49/113 | 43.4 |
![]() | 49 | 1D, 3R, 1Ind | 5/46 | 8D, 12R | 20/124 | 25/170 | 14.7 |
![]() | 39 | 2D, 5R | 7/35 | 4D, 17R | 21/70 | 28/105 | 26.7 |
![]() | 48 | 5D, 3R | 8/33 | 3D, 9R | 12/99 | 20/132 | 15.2 |
![]() | 33 | 4D, 4R | 8/31 | 32D, 14R | 46/150 | 54/181 | 29.8 |
![]() | 40 | 5D, 2R | 7/29 | 8D, 12R | 20/75 | 27/104 | 26.0 |
![]() | 5 | 12D, 0R | 12/30 | 58D, 9R, 2Ind | 69/150 | 81/180 | 45.0 |
![]() | 21 | 11D, 3R | 14/40 | 27D, 7R | 34/100 | 48/140 | 34.3 |
![]() | 4 | 15D, 5R | 20/49 | 35D, 12R | 47/98 | 67/147 | 45.6 |
![]() | N/A | 4D, 1Ind | 5/13 | n/a | unicameral | 5/13 | 38.5 |
![]() | 50 | 0D, 4R | 4/34 | 2D, 11R | 13/100 | 17/134 | 12.7 |
![]() | 28 | 5D, 3R | 8/33 | 20D, 13R | 33/99 | 41/132 | 31.1 |
![]() | 44 | 0D, 7R | 7/31 | 3D, 10R | 13/62 | 20/93 | 21.5 |
Table. US territories. 2023
[edit]Note: 24 female legislators overall in Puerto Rico. Affiliations: 8 PNP, 11 PPD, 5 Third Party.[1]
Location | Rank | Senate | Senate ratio | House | House ratio | Overall ratio | Overall percent |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | 5 | 1Ind | 1/18 | 1 | 1/21 | 2/39 | 5.1 |
![]() | 1 | 4D, 2R | 6/15 | n/a | unicameral | 6/15 | 40.0 |
![]() | 4 | 2D, 1Ind | 3/9 | 1D, 2I | 3/20 | 6/29 | 20.7 |
![]() | 3 | 13Ind | 13/27 | n/a | 11Ind | 24/78 | 30.8 |
![]() | 2 | 4D, 1Ind | 5/16 | n/a | unicameral | 5/16 | 31.3 |
History
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The first women to serve in any state legislature were Clara Cressingham, Carrie C. Holly and Frances S. Klock, who were all elected in 1894 to the Colorado State House of Representatives.[4] All three were elected the year after women in Colorado obtained the right to vote through popular election in 1893.[5] As Secretary of the House Republican Caucus, Cressingham was the first woman to fill a leadership position in an American legislature.[6] In 1896, Martha Hughes Cannon became the first woman elected to an upper body of a state legislature when she defeated her own husband, Angus M. Cannon, for a seat in the Utah State Senate.[7][8]
The 50th state to see the debut of female state legislators in their lower house was Hawaii in 1959, who elected Dorothy Devereux and Eureka Forbes to their House of Representatives upon admittance to statehood. Alabama's Senate was the 50th upper house to welcome women when Ann Bedsole and Frances Strong joined the Senate in 1983.[9]
In 2016, the highest shares of female members of a state legislature - at least 35% per state legislature - were in Colorado (30/65 in the House, 12/35 in the Senate), Vermont (65/150 in the House, 9/30 in the Senate), and Arizona (19/60 in the House, 13/30 in the Senate).[10] The shares in Colorado and Vermont decreased to below 40% in 2017, while Arizona, Illinois, Nevada and Washington all saw their numbers increase up to between 35% and 39%. Altogether in 2017, women constitute 24.8% of all state legislators in the United States,[11] a ratio that has increased by less than 4 percentage points since 1994.
Only four chambers have reached a near or absolute majority of women:
- New Hampshire Senate (2009-2010, 13/24 women[12])
- Nevada Assembly (2019, 23/42 women)
- Colorado House of Representatives(2019, 32/65 women)
- Oregon House of Representatives (2020, 30/60 women[13])
List of first women to serve in state and territorial legislatures
[edit]State Legislative Leadership
[edit]Leadership positions at the state legislatures include senate presidents, presidents pro tempore, house speakers, majority and minority leaders of the senate and house. In 2023, women held leadership positions in 35 state senates and in 32 state houses, which corresponds to 26% of 350 positions.[21] 44 women (34D, 10R) serve in these leadership roles at State Senates and 47 (36D, 11R) serve at the State Houses.[21] Nine states (AL, IN, KY, MS, NE, SC, SD, TX, WY) have no women in leadership positions.
Current Women Speakers of State Houses
[edit]There are 10 (9D, 1R) women currently serving as the speakers of State Houses.[22]
Cathy Tilton (R-AK)
Julie McCluskie (D-CO)
Valerie Longhurst (D-DE)
Adrienne A. Jones (D-MD)
Rachel Talbot Ross (D-ME)
Melissa Hortman (D-MN)
Julie Fahey (D-OR)
Joanna McClinton (D-PA)
Jill Krowinski (D-VT)
Laurie Jinkins (D-WA)
Current Women Presidents or Presidents Pro Tem of Senates
[edit]There are 15 (11D, 4R) women currently serving as Presidents or Presidents Pro Tem of State Senates.[22]
Kathleen Passidomo (R-FL)
Michelle Kidani (D-HI)
Amy Sinclair (R-IA)
Regina Ashford Barrow (D-LA)
Karen Spilka (D-MA)
Ann H. Rest (D-MN)
Shirley Turner (D-NJ)
Mimi Stewart (D-NM)
Pat Spearman (D-NV)
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-NY)
Kim L. Ward (R-PA)
Hanna M. Gallo (D-RI)
Louise Lucas (D-VA)
Karen Keiser (D-WA)
Donna J. Boley (R-WV)
Female State Legislators by Race and Ethnicity
[edit]According to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP),[23] 99 representatives identify as Asian American/Pacific Islander, 383 identify as Black, 192 identify as Latina, 14 identify as Middle Eastern/North African, 36 identify as Native American/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian, 3 identify as Multiracial Alone, and 1735 identify as white.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Women in State Legislatures 2024. New Brunswick, NJ: Center for American Women and Politics, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University–New Brunswick.
- ^ "Women in State Legislatures 2024". cawp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ a b Hawes, Jennifer Berry (2024-01-11). "How Many of Your State's Lawmakers Are Women? If You Live in the Southeast, It Could Be Just 1 in 5". ProPublica. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
- ^ "First Women to Serve in State and Territorial Legislatures". National Conference of State Legislatures. Retrieved 10 March 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "House Bill 118". State of Colorado. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- ^ Kopel, Jerry. "Colorado Women First to Reach Statehouse". The Colorado Statesman. Archived from the original on 25 March 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
- ^ "Education & Resources - National Women's History Museum - NWHM". www.nwhm.org. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
- ^ Katz, Elizabeth D. (2021-07-30). "Sex, Suffrage, and State Constitutional Law: Women's Legal Right to Hold Public Office". Rochester, NY. SSRN 3896499.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^ Legislatures, National Conference of State. "First Women to Serve in State and Territorial Legislatures". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Legislatures, National Conference of State. "Women in State Legislatures for 2016". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Legislatures, National Conference of State. "Women in State Legislatures for 2017". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ Women Dominate New Hampshire State Senate, NPR, November 9, 2008, 4:00 PM ET
- ^ "With latest appointment, women represent 50% of Oregon House". 15 June 2020.
- ^ "Emily Sophie Brown".
- ^ a b Nichols, Carole (2013-04-15). Votes and More for Women: Suffrage and After in Connecticut. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-81800-5.
- ^ "MRS. Lillian Mae Frink". The New York Times. 16 March 1974.
- ^ "Who is Mary Hooker? | Mary Hooker Magnet School".
- ^ Weatherford, Doris (2012-01-20). Women in American Politics: History and Milestones. SAGE. ISBN 978-1-60871-007-2.
- ^ https://cslib.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/singleitem/image/p15019coll2/14/default.jpg?highlightTerms=Alice%20Merritt [bare URL image file]
- ^ Women in American Politics: History and Milestones, by Doris Weatherford | "New England's first female senator was Alice Virginia Merritt of Connecticut. A Republican, she lived in the capital city, Hartford, where her husband, Joseph Merritt, founded a still extant firm specializing in blueprints. She had served as a volunteer in the Red Cross Motor Corps during World War I, meaning she was independent enough to drive at a time when most women did not. Connecticut had two-year senate terms, and Merritt was reelected in 1926. She lived until 1950."
- ^ a b "Women in State Legislative Leadership 2023". cawp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
- ^ a b "Women in State Legislatures 2024". cawp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
- ^ "Women Officeholders by Race and Ethnicity". cawp.rutgers.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-30.