Women in State Legislatures: 2009 Legislative Session
At this point in the 2009 legislative session, there are 1,788 women legislators serving in the 50 states. Women hold 24.2 percent of legislative seats in the 50 states, a ratio that has increased by less than 4 percentage points over the past fifteen years. Thirty women serve in the legislative bodies of the United States Territories and the District of Columbia.
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Map of the number of women in legislatures, 2009 session
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Map of the percentage of women in legislatures, 2009 session
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Note: Data current as of 7/30/2009. Subject to change due to resignations, appointments and special elections.
Women in Legislative Leadership 2009
New! Legislator demographics interactive map.
Women Serving in the Fifty States
|
State
|
Number of Women Legislators in the House / Assembly
|
Number of Women Legislators in the Senate
|
Total Number of Women Legislators
|
Total Seats in the Legislature
|
Percentage of Women in the Legislature
|
|
Alabama
|
12
|
5
|
17
|
140
|
12.1%
|
|
Alaska
|
9
|
3
|
12
|
60
|
20.0%
|
|
Arizona
|
16
|
12
|
28
|
90
|
31.1%
|
|
Arkansas
|
25
|
7
|
32
|
135
|
23.7%
|
|
California
|
20
|
13
|
33
|
120
|
27.5%
|
|
Colorado
|
25
|
12
|
37
|
100
|
37.0%
|
|
Connecticut
|
51
|
8
|
59
|
187
|
31.6%
|
|
Delaware
|
7
|
8
|
15
|
62
|
24.2%
|
|
Florida
|
29
|
9
|
38
|
160
|
23.8%
|
|
Georgia
|
37
|
7
|
44
|
236
|
18.6%
|
|
Hawaii
|
18
|
7
|
25
|
76
|
32.9%
|
|
Idaho
|
18
|
8
|
26
|
105
|
24.8%
|
|
Illinois
|
36
|
13
|
49
|
177
|
27.7%
|
|
Indiana
|
20
|
12
|
32
|
150
|
21.3%
|
|
Iowa
|
25
|
9
|
34
|
150
|
22.7%
|
|
Kansas
|
34
|
13
|
47
|
165
|
28.5%
|
|
Kentucky
|
15
|
6
|
21
|
138
|
15.2%
|
|
Louisiana
|
14
|
8
|
22
|
144
|
15.3%
|
|
Maine
|
46
|
8
|
54
|
186
|
29.0%
|
|
Maryland
|
48
|
10
|
58
|
188
|
30.9%
|
|
Massachusetts
|
40
|
12
|
52
|
200
|
26.0%
|
|
Michigan
|
28
|
9
|
37
|
148
|
25.0%
|
|
Minnesota
|
43
|
27
|
70
|
201
|
34.8%
|
|
Mississippi
|
21
|
4
|
25
|
174
|
14.4%
|
|
Missouri
|
33
|
8
|
41
|
197
|
20.8%
|
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Montana
|
29
|
10
|
39
|
150
|
26.0%
|
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Nebraska
|
Unicameral
|
10
|
10
|
49
|
20.4%
|
|
Nevada
|
13
|
7
|
20
|
63
|
31.7%
|
|
New Hampshire
|
145
|
13
|
158
|
424
|
37.3%
|
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New Jersey
|
27
|
10
|
37
|
120
|
30.8%
|
|
New Mexico
|
23
|
11
|
34
|
112
|
30.4%
|
|
New York
|
42
|
10
|
52
|
212
|
24.5%
|
|
North Carolina
|
38
|
6
|
44
|
170
|
25.9%
|
|
North Dakota
|
16
|
6
|
22
|
141
|
15.6%
|
|
Ohio
|
21
|
6
|
27
|
132
|
20.5%
|
|
Oklahoma
|
12
|
5
|
17
|
149
|
11.4%
|
|
Oregon
|
14
|
11
|
25
|
90
|
27.8%
|
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Pennsylvania
|
27
|
10
|
37
|
253
|
14.6%
|
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Rhode Island
|
17
|
8
|
25
|
113
|
22.1%
|
|
South Carolina
|
17
|
0
|
17
|
170
|
10.0%
|
|
South Dakota
|
13
|
7
|
20
|
105
|
19.0%
|
|
Tennessee
|
16
|
8
|
24
|
132
|
18.2%
|
|
Texas
|
37
|
6
|
43
|
181
|
23.8%
|
|
Utah
|
18
|
5
|
23
|
104
|
22.1%
|
|
Vermont
|
57
|
10
|
67
|
180
|
37.2%
|
|
Virginia
|
16
|
8
|
24
|
140
|
17.1%
|
|
Washington
|
29
|
19
|
48
|
147
|
32.7%
|
|
West Virginia
|
20
|
2
|
22
|
134
|
16.4%
|
|
Wisconsin
|
22
|
7
|
29
|
132
|
22.0%
|
|
Wyoming
|
15
|
1
|
16
|
90
|
17.8%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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TOTAL
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1,354
|
434
|
1,788
|
7,382
|
24.2%
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| Partisan Composition of Women in the 50 State Legislatures, 2009 Session |
| Democratic Party |
1255 |
| Republican Party |
519 |
| Third Party |
4 |
| Nonpartisan (Nebraska) |
10 |
| |
|
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Legislative Body
|
Women in the House
|
Women in the Senate / Council
|
Total Number of Women Legislators
|
Total Seats in the Legislature
|
Percentage of Women in the Legislature
|
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American Samoa Legislature
|
0
|
2
|
2
|
39
|
5.1%
|
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District of Columbia Council
|
Unicameral
|
3
|
3
|
13
|
23.1%
|
|
Guam Legislature
|
Unicameral
|
4
|
4
|
15
|
26.7%
|
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Puerto Rico Legislature
|
13
|
7
|
20
|
85
|
23.5%
|
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Virgin Islands Legislature
|
Unicameral
|
1
|
1
|
15
|
6.7%
|
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TOTAL
|
13
|
17
|
30
|
167
|
18.0%
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Contact the Women's Legislative Network for more information or archives, (303) 364-7700.
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