Results for Women Candidates in Election 2025

Governor  

In 2026, women will hold 1 of 2 (50%) statewide elective executive offices in New Jersey. 

Current U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) will be the first Democratic woman governor of New Jersey. She will also be the first woman military veteran to serve as an American governor and one of ten women that have served as both voting members of Congress and governor, along with newly-elected Virginia Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger (D-VA). No women were nominees for lieutenant governor.

State Legislature  

In New Jersey, 27 (24D, 3R) women have been elected to the state Assembly. In addition, 9 (7D, 2R) women will continue terms in the state Senate, which did not hold elections this year. 

Currently, 40 (32D, 8R) women serve in the 120-member New Jersey Legislature, holding 33.3% of seats. In 2026, women will hold 30.0% of New Jersey’s legislative seats. This is not a record high; the current record for women serving in the New Jersey Legislature is 43, set in 2023. In addition, women are 31 of 82 (37.8%) Democrats and 5 of 38 (13.2%) Republicans who will serve in the New Jersey legislature in 2026. 

Currently, 31 (25D, 6R) women serve in the 80-member Assembly, holding 38.8% of seats. In 2026, women will hold at least 33.8% of New Jersey General Assembly seats. In addition, based on election results thus far, women are 24 of 57 (42.1%) Democrats and 3 of 23 (13.0%) Republicans who will serve in the New Jersey Assembly in 2026. 

In 2025, 3 (3D) women House incumbents – representing 7.5% of current women legislators – did not run for re-election or lost a primary election. Three (3R) women incumbents were defeated in the general election.  Of the women winners, 24 (21D, 3R) are incumbents, one (1D) won an open-seat contest, and two (2D) were challengers that beat an incumbent.

Statewide Elective Executive Office  

In 2026, women will hold 2 of 3 (66.6%) statewide elective executive offices in Virginia. 

Former U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) will be the first woman governor of Virginia and one of ten women that have served as both voting members of Congress and governor, along with newly-elected New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ). 

State Senator Ghazala Hashmi will be the first Asian American/Pacific Islander woman to serve as Virginia lieutenant governor and in statewide elective executive office in Virginia. She will also be the first Democratic woman to serve as Virginia lieutenant governor. No women were nominees in Virginia’s election for attorney general.

State Legislature  

In Virginia, 42 (37D, 5R) women have been elected to the state House. In addition, 14 (10D, 4R) women will continue terms in the state Senate, which did not hold elections this year (this excludes state Senator Ghazala Hashmi, who will leave the Senate to become lieutenant governor). Together, this means that the number of women in Virginia's state legislature will increase from 2025 to 2026 to achieve a new record for women’s representation. Currently, a record 49 (38D, 11R) women serve in the 140-member Virginia General Assembly, holding 35% of seats. In 2026, women will hold 40% of Virginia’s legislative seats. This will mark a new record. In addition, women are 47 of 84 (56.0%) Democrats and 9 of 55 (16.4%) Republicans who will serve in the Virginia General Assembly in 2026. 

The number of women in Virginia’s House of Delegates will increase from 2025 to 2026. Currently, 34 (27D, 7R) women serve in the 100-member House, holding 34% of seats. In 2026, women will hold 42% of Virginia House seats. This is a record high. In addition, women are 37 of 64 (57.8%) Democrats and 5 of 36 (13.9%) Republicans who will serve in the Virginia House in 2026. 

In 2025, all women House incumbents ran for re-election. Three (3R) women incumbents were defeated in the general election. Of the women winners, 31 (27D, 4R) are incumbents, two (1D, 1R) won open-seat contests, and nine (9D) were challengers who beat incumbents.

New women have been elected as mayors to three of the nation’s top 100 most populous cities in 2025. 

• As a result of the November 4th election, new women have been elected as mayors in Detroit, MI (Mary Sheffield), St. Paul, MN (Kaohly Her), Greensboro, NC (Marikay Abuzaiter), and Seattle, WA (Katie Wilson). One woman has advanced to a runoff (Miami, FL).
  • Mary Sheffield will be the first woman and first Black woman to be mayor of Detroit, Michigan.
  • Kaohly Her will be the first woman and first Asian American/Pacific Islander woman to be mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota
• In addition, four new women were elected as mayors in the nation’s top 100 most populous cities between January and October 2025. They include:
  • Cara Spencer, who was sworn in as mayor of St. Louis, Missouri in April 2025.
  • Barbara Lee, who was sworn in as mayor of Oakland, California in April 2025.
  • Gina Ortiz Jones, who was sworn in as mayor of San Antonio, Texas in June 2025.
  • Helena Moreno, who will be sworn in as mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana in January 2026. She was elected outright on October 11, 2025, avoiding a November 4, 2025 runoff election. 

Currently, 37 women serve as mayor in cities among the top 100 most populous U.S. cities. Of those, four are Asian or Pacific Islander women, eight are Black women, three are Latina, and 22 are white women. Learn more here.

Alicia M. Johnson has won a special election to serve on Georgia’s Public Service Commission (District 2). She will be the first Black woman to serve in statewide elective executive office in Georgia. Currently, there is 1 (1R) woman among Georgia’s 13 statewide elective executive officeholders; she also holds a seat on the five-member Public Service Commission.