In most statehouses, women hold fewer than 50% of the seats, and far fewer than that in many states. Pew Research says the trend line has been climbing since the 1970s, with 35 more female legislators this year than last. That brings the percentage nationwide to 32.9. Nevada is the first state to have a majority of women in both chambers, at 60%. There are a host of reasons women lag behind men in state legislatures, but the Rutgers University Center for Women in American Politics says one factor is money. Female candidates tend to rely on small donors and are less likely than men to fund their own campaigns. Another issue: Incumbents have a fundraising advantage, and most incumbents are male. The center says women donate to campaigns of women more than they do the campaigns of men, but those donations tend to be smaller.
Learn more about resources and professional development offered by NCSL’s Women’s Legislative Network.
Sources:
The Data on Women Leaders, Pew Research Center
Women in State Legislatures 2024, CAWP