State Legislature

Current Numbers

Total Number of Women in State Legislature

New Jersey ranks 27th among the 50 states in the proportion of women serving in its legislature. Women of color make up 52.5% of all women in the New Jersey legislature: 66.7% of women in the Senate and 48.4% of women in the Assembly.

Full list of officeholders

State Senate

Full list of officeholders

State Assembly

Full list of officeholders

Numbers and Percentage of Officeholders by Year

Year State Rank Senate Total Women/Total Senate House Total Women/Total House Total Women/Total Legislature % Total Women
2026 34 7D | 2R 9/40 24D | 3R 27/80 36/120 30.0
2025 27 7D | 2R 9/40 25D | 6R 31/80 40/120 33.3
2024 24 8D | 2R 10/40 25D | 6R 31/80 41/120 34.2
2023 21 8D | 3R 11/40 21D | 11R 32/80 43/120 35.8
2022 15 8D | 3R 11/40 20D | 11R 31/80 42/120 35.0
2021 26 9D | 2R 11/40 19D | 7R 26/80 37/120 30.8
2020 20 9D | 1R 10/40 20D | 7R 27/80 37/120 30.8
2019 18 9D | 1R 10/40 21D | 7R 28/80 38/120 31.7
2018 14 8D | 2R 10/40 21D | 6R 27/80 37/120 30.8
2017 12 8D | 4R 12/40 18D | 7R 25/80 37/120 30.8
2016 11 8D | 3R 11/40 18D | 7R 25/80 36/120 30.0
2015 11 8D | 3R 11/40 16D | 10R 26/80 37/120 30.8
2014 9 8D | 3R 11/40 16D | 10R 26/80 37/120 30.8
2013 12 8D | 3R 11/40 15D | 9R 24/80 35/120 29.2
2012 10 8D | 3R 12/40 15D | 9R 24/80 35/120 29.2
2011 12 7D | 3R 10/40 15D | 9R 24/80 34/120 28.3
2010 15 7D | 3R 10/40 16D | 8R 24/80 34/120 28.3
2009 12 7D | 3R 10/40 19D | 9R 28/80 38/120 31.7
2008 14 7D | 2R 9/40 18D | 8R 26/80 35/120 29.2
2007 27 6D | 2R 8/40 13D | 5R 18/80 26/120 21.7
2006 31 5D | 2R 7/40 11D | 5R 16/80 23/120 19.2
2005 41 5D | 2R 7/40 10D | 3R 13/80 20/120 16.7
2004 43 4D | 2R 6/40 10D | 3R 13/80 19/120 15.8
2003 39 3D | 2R 5/40 10D | 5R 15/80 20/120 16.7
2002 40 3D | 2R 5/40 10D | 4R 14/80 19/120 15.8
2001 43 1D | 2R 3/40 10D | 6R 16/80 19/120 15.8
2000 42 1D | 2R 3/40 10D | 6R 16/80 19/120 15.8
1999 40 1D | 2R 3/40 9D | 7R 16/80 19/120 15.8
1998 39 2D | 2R 4/40 9D | 7R 16/80 20/120 16.7
1997 39 1D | 1R 2/40 8D | 9R 17/80 19/120 15.8
1996 37 1D | 1R 2/40 7D | 9R 16/80 18/120 15.0
1995 41 1D | 0R 1/40 6D | 9R 15/80 16/120 13.3
1994 42 1D | 0R 1/40 5D | 9R 14/80 15/120 12.5
1993 41 1D | 1R 2/40 3D | 11R 14/80 16/120 13.3
1992 40 1D | 1R 2/40 3D | 10R 13/80 15/120 12.5
1991 43 1D | 1R 2/40 4D | 7R 11/80 13/120 10.8
1990 38 1D | 1R 2/40 4D | 6R 10/80 12/120 10.0
1989 43 2D | 1R 3/40 2D | 6R 8/80 11/120 9.2
1988 40 2D | 1R 3/40 2D | 6R 8/80 11/120 9.2
1987 37 2D | 1R 3/40 2D | 7R 9/80 12/120 10.0
1986 36 2D | 1R 3/40 2D | 6R 8/80 11/120 9.2
1985 36 2D | 1R 3/40 4D | 5R 9/80 12/120 10.0
1984 35 2D | 1R 3/40 4D | 4R 8/80 11/120 9.2
1983 38 1D | 0R 1/40 4D | 3R 7/80 8/120 6.7
1982   1D | 0R 1/40 4| 5R 9/80 10/120 8.3
1981 40 1D | 0R 1/40 3D | 5R 8/80 9/120 7.5
1980   1D | 0R 1/40 3D | 5R 8/80 9/120 7.5
1979 18 1D | 0R 1/40 10D | 2R 12/80 13/120 10.8
1978   1D | 0R 1/40 9D | 2R 11/80 12/120 10.0
1977 25 3D | 0R 3/40 4D | 2R 6/80 9/120 7.5
1976   3D | 0R 3/40 4D | 2R 6/80 9/120 7.5
1975 24 3D | 0R 3/40 5D | 1R 6/80 9/120 7.5

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Leadership

Sheila Y. Oliver (D), served as speaker of the Assembly from 2011-2013. Oliver is only the second Black woman in the nation to serve as a speaker of a lower house. One woman previously served as speaker of the New Jersey Assembly. Marion West Higgins (R) became speaker in 1965, only the third woman in the nation to be speaker of a state house. She served as acting governor on occasion when Governor Richard Hughes traveled out of state.

Senate

Assembly

Committee Chairs

Senate

Assembly