Virginia Gains, New Jersey Drops in CAWP State Rankings

Following 2025 state legislative elections, Virginia gained significant ground in rankings of states by women’s representation in state legislatures produced by the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. New Jersey’s rank, meanwhile, dropped substantially. Virginia had a net gain of nine women in its legislature, moving up nine spots to 15th in our 2026 rankings, while four fewer women are serving in New Jersey’s legislature, leading the Garden State to fall six spots to 34th. The top 10 and bottom 10 states for women’s representation remain essentially unchanged in 2026, with Nevada once again leading the nation and West Virginia remaining at the bottom.

“This year’s rankings remind us that progress is precarious, and one election cycle can lead to either setbacks or steps forward,” said CAWP Director Debbie Walsh. “The best way to ensure continued momentum is to recruit more women candidates, provide them resources and training, run them in winnable races, and support them once they are elected. CAWP’s Ready to Run® nonpartisan campaign trainings, in New Jersey and through partner programs around the country, and similar initiatives remain a key component in preparing women for leadership.”

Below are the top ten and bottom ten states for women’s representation in state legislatures for 2026. Other than a rank swap for Louisiana and Oklahoma, these ranks are identical to 2025.

Find out more, and see where your state ranks, at our 2026 state legislature facts page. This page also includes information about state legislatures and state legislative chambers that are currently, or historically have been, either at or beyond gender parity. Additional CAWP resources on women in state legislatures include:

• Women as a Percentage of Democratic and Republican State Legislators
• Representativeness of Women State Legislators by Race/Ethnicity and State
• State-by-State Information