Women in State Legislatures 2020
Women in State Legislatures 2020
In 2020, 2,160, or 29.3% the 7,383 state legislators in the United States are women. Women currently hold 520, or 26.4%, of the 1,972 state senate seats and 1,640, or 30.3%, of the 5,411 state house or assembly seats. Since 1971, the number of women serving in state legislatures has more than quintupled.
The party breakdown for women serving in state legislatures in 2020 is:
Total Legislators | State Senators | State Reps. | |||||
Democrats | 1,464 | 67.8% | 336 | 64.6% | 1,128 | 68.8% | |
Republicans | 674 | 31.2% | 170 | 32.7% | 504 | 30.7% | |
Nonpartisans* | 14 | 0.6% | 14 | 2.7% | - | - | |
Independents | 4 | 0.2% | - | - | 4 | 0.2% | |
Progressives | 4 | 0.2% | - | - | 4 | 0.2% | |
TOTAL | 2,160 | 100.0% | 520 | 100.0% | 1,640 | 99.9% |
Nevada (54.0%)
Colorado (44.0%)
Oregon (42.2%)
Washington (40.8%)
Vermont (40.6%)
Maryland (39.9%)
Arizona (38.9%)
Maine (37.6%)
Rhode Island (37.2%)
Alaska (36.7%
Illinois (37.3%)
Tennessee (15.2%)
Wyoming (15.6%)
Alabama (15.7%)
Mississippi (16.1%)
South Carolina (16.5%)
Louisiana (18.1%)
Oklahoma (21.5%)
North Dakota (22.0%)
Delaware (24.2%)
State Legislative Leadership
17 women serve as presidents of senates or presidents pro tempore:
Cathy Giessel (R-AK)
Karen Fann (R-AZ)
Toni Atkins (D-CA)
Nancy Todd (D-CO)
Michelle Kidani (D-HI)
Susan Wagle (R-KS)
Beth Mizell (R-LA)
Karen Spilka (D-MA)
Melony G. Griffith (D-MD)
Mary Kiffmeyer (MN-R)
Donna Soucy (D-NH)
Martha Fuller Clark (D-NH)
M. Teresa Ruiz (D-NJ)
Mary Kay Papen (D-NM)
Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-NY)
Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-OR)
Joan Huffman (R-TX)
Louise Lucas (D-VA)
Karen Keiser (D-WA)
Donna J. Boley (R-WV)
7 women serve as speakers of state houses:
KC Becker (D-CO)
Adrienne Jones (D-MD)
Sara Gideon (D-ME)
Melissa Hortman (D-MN)
Tina Kotek (D-OR)
Eileen Filler-Corn (D-VA)
Mitzi Johnson (D-VT)
Laurie Jinkins (D-WA)
Women in D.C. and the Territories
There are currently 38 women serving in the legislatures of the U.S. Territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands) and on the D.C. City Council. Of the 38, nine serve as senators, 11 serve as representatives and 18 serve on unicameral bodies.
Total Women | Total Legislature | % Women Overall | |
---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 2 (2NP) | 39 | 5.1% |
District of Columbia | 4 (3D, 1I) | 13 | 30.8% |
Guam | 10 (7D, 3R) | 15 | 66.7% |
Northern Mariana Islands | 4 (2I, 2R) | 29 | 13.8% |
Puerto Rico | 14 (11PNP, 3PPD)* | 81 | 17.3% |
Virgin Islands | 4 (3D, 1I) | 15 | 26.7% |
*PNP stands for Partido Nuevo Progresista, or the New Progressive Party, and
PPD stands for Partido Popular Democratico, or the Popular Democratic Party.
Women of Color*
- 549 (25.4%) of the 2,160 women state legislators serving nationwide are women of color (133 senators, 417 representatives; 528D, 20R, 1Prg.).
- Women of color constitute 7.4% of the total 7,383 state legislators.
- In addition, there are 31 women of color serving in the legislatures of the U.S. Territories (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands) and on the D.C. City Council.
*This figure does not include two legislators whose race/ethnicity we could not confirm.
More information on women of color in elective office.
State Legislative Firsts
1894: The first three women elected to a state legislature in the country were Clara Cressingham,
Carrie C. Holly, and Frances Klock, all in the Colorado House of Representatives.
1896: Martha Hughes Cannon (D-UT) became the first woman elected state senator in the
country.
1924: Cora Belle Reynolds Anderson (R-MI) became the first woman of color elected to a state
legislature.
1933: Minnie Davenport Craig (R-ND) became the first woman to serve as speaker of a state
house.
1974: Elaine Noble (D-MA) became the first openly LGBT candidate elected to a state
legislature.
1983: Vesta Roy (R-NH) became the first woman to serve as president of a state senate.
2007: Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) became the first woman of color to serve as president of a state
senate.
2008: Karen Bass (D-CA) became the first woman of color to serve as speaker of a state house.
For other important state legislative firsts, visit the Milestones for Women in American Politics page.
Women in State Legislatures 2020
State | Senate | Total Women/ | House | Total Women/ | Total Women/ | %Women | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Rank | D | R | I** | Total Senate | D | R | I** | Total House | Total Legis. | Overall | |||
AL | 47 | 4 | 0 | - | 4/ | 35 | 11 | 7 | - | 18/ | 105 | 22/ | 140 | 15.7 |
AK | 10 | 1 | 5 | - | 6/ | 20 | 6 | 10 | - | 16/ | 40 | 22/ | 60 | 36.7 |
AZ | 7 | 7 | 6 | - | 13/ | 30 | 14 | 8 | - | 22/ | 60 | 35/ | 90 | 38.9 |
AR | 33 | 3 | 4 | - | 7/ | 35 | 10 | 18 | - | 28/ | 100 | 35/ | 135 | 25.9 |
AS | - | - | - | 1 | 1/ | 18 | - | - | 1 | 1/ | 21 | 2/ | 39 | 5.1 |
CA* | 20 | 10 | 4 | - | 14/ | 40 | 21 | 2 | - | 23/ | 80 | 37/ | 120 | 30.8 |
CO | 2 | 11 | 1 | - | 12/ | 35 | 26 | 6 | - | 32/ | 65 | 44/ | 100 | 44.0 |
CT | 16 | 8 | 1 | - | 9/ | 36 | 29 | 22 | - | 51/ | 151 | 60/ | 187 | 32.1 |
DC | - | - | 3 | 1 | 4/ | 13 | - | - | - | - - unicameral - - | 4/ | 13 | 30.8 | |
DE | 41 | 4 | 1 | - | 5/ | 21 | 9 | 1 | - | 10/ | 41 | 15/ | 62 | 24.2 |
FL | 24 | 6 | 6 | - | 12/ | 40 | 22 | 13 | - | 35/ | 120 | 47/ | 160 | 29.4 |
GA | 23 | 13 | 2 | - | 15/ | 56 | 41 | 15 | - | 56/ | 180 | 71/ | 236 | 30.1 |
GU | - | 7 | 3 | - | 10/ | 15 | - | - | - | - - unicameral - - | 10/ | 15 | 66.7 | |
HI | 15 | 8 | 0 | - | 8/ | 25 | 14 | 3 | - | 17/ | 51 | 25/ | 76 | 32.9 |
ID | 19 | 4 | 5 | - | 9/ | 35 | 8 | 16 | - | 24/ | 70 | 33/ | 105 | 31.4 |
IL* | 10 | 20 | 2 | - | 22/ | 59 | 36 | 7 | - | 43/ | 118 | 65/ | 177 | 36.7 |
IN* | 35 | 2 | 8 | - | 10/ | 50 | 17 | 11 | - | 28/ | 100 | 38/ | 150 | 25.3 |
IA | 25 | 6 | 5 | - | 11/ | 50 | 23 | 10 | - | 33/ | 100 | 44/ | 150 | 29.3 |
KS | 26 | 6 | 7 | - | 13/ | 40 | 19 | 16 | - | 35/ | 125 | 47/ | 165 | 29.1 |
KY | 39 | 3 | 2 | - | 5/ | 38 | 19 | 10 | - | 29/ | 100 | 34/ | 138 | 24.6 |
LA | 44 | 3 | 3 | - | 6/ | 39 | 8 | 12 | - | 20/ | 105 | 26/ | 144 | 18.1 |
ME | 8 | 8 | 4 | - | 12/ | 35 | 47 | 11 | - | 58/ | 151 | 70/ | 186 | 37.6 |
MD | 6 | 13 | 2 | - | 15/ | 47 | 53 | 8 | - | 61/ | 141 | 76/ | 188 | 40.4 |
MA | 27 | 12 | 0 | - | 12/ | 40 | 39 | 6 | 1 | 46/ | 160 | 58/ | 200 | 29.0 |
MI | 13 | 8 | 3 | - | 11/ | 38 | 26 | 17 | - | 43/ | 110 | 54/ | 148 | 36.5 |
MN | 17 | 10 | 6 | - | 16/ | 67 | 35 | 13 | - | 48/ | 134 | 64/ | 201 | 31.8 |
MS | 46 | 4 | 7 | - | 11/ | 52 | 10 | 7 | - | 17/ | 122 | 28/ | 174 | 16.1 |
MO | 40 | 5 | 3 | - | 8/ | 34 | 20 | 20 | - | 40/ | 163 | 48/ | 197 | 24.4 |
MP | - | 1 | - | - | 1/ | 9 | - | 1 | 2 | 3/ | 20 | 4/ | 29 | 13.8 |
MT | 22 | 11 | 2 | - | 13/ | 50 | 22 | 11 | - | 33/ | 100 | 46/ | 150 | 30.7 |
NE* | 28 | - | - | 14 | 14/ | 49 | - | - | - | - - unicameral - - | 14/ | 49 | 28.6 | |
NV | 1 | 9 | 1 | - | 10/ | 21 | 19 | 5 | - | 24/ | 42 | 34/ | 63 | 54.0 |
NH | 14 | 7 | 3 | - | 10/ | 24 | 109 | 25 | - | 134/ | 400 | 144/ | 424 | 34.0 |
NJ* | 20 | 9 | 1 | - | 10/ | 40 | 20 | 7 | - | 27/ | 80 | 37/ | 120 | 30.8 |
NM | 12 | 7 | 2 | - | 9/ | 42 | 25 | 7 | - | 32/ | 70 | 41/ | 112 | 36.6 |
NY | 18 | 14 | 5 | - | 19/ | 63 | 44 | 4 | - | 48/ | 150 | 67/ | 213 | 31.5 |
NC* | 35 | 7 | 4 | - | 11/ | 50 | 23 | 9 | - | 32/ | 120 | 43/ | 170 | 25.3 |
ND | 42 | 4 | 7 | - | 11/ | 47 | 8 | 12 | - | 20/ | 94 | 31/ | 141 | 22.0 |
OH | 30 | 4 | 4 | - | 8/ | 33 | 19 | 9 | - | 28/ | 99 | 36/ | 132 | 27.3 |
OK | 43 | 5 | 4 | - | 9/ | 48 | 11 | 12 | - | 23/ | 101 | 32/ | 149 | 21.5 |
OR | 3 | 7 | 2 | - | 9/ | 30 | 23 | 7 | - | 30/ | 60 | 39/ | 90 | 43.3 |
PA | 31 | 7 | 6 | - | 13/ | 50 | 31 | 24 | - | 55/ | 203 | 68/ | 253 | 26.9 |
PR | - | - | - | 7 | 7/ | 30 | - | - | 7 | 7/ | 51 | 14/ | 81 | 17.3 |
RI | 9 | 14 | 2 | - | 16/ | 38 | 25 | 1 | - | 26/ | 75 | 42/ | 113 | 37.2 |
SC | 45 | 2 | 2 | - | 4/ | 46 | 13 | 12 | - | 25/ | 124 | 29/ | 170 | 17.1 |
SD | 38 | 2 | 5 | - | 7/ | 35 | 4 | 15 | - | 19/ | 70 | 26/ | 105 | 24.8 |
TN | 49 | 4 | 4 | - | 8/ | 33 | 4 | 8 | - | 12/ | 99 | 20/ | 132 | 15.2 |
TX | 37 | 4 | 6 | - | 10/ | 31 | 29 | 6 | - | 35/ | 150 | 45/ | 181 | 24.9 |
UT | 32 | 4 | 2 | - | 6/ | 29 | 12 | 9 | - | 21/ | 75 | 27/ | 104 | 26.0 |
VI | - | 3 | - | 1 | 4/ | 15 | - | - | - | - - unicameral - - | 4/ | 15 | 26.7 | |
VT | 5 | 10 | - | - | 10/ | 30 | 42 | 14 | 7 | 63/ | 150 | 73/ | 180 | 40.6 |
VA* | 28 | 7 | 4 | - | 11/ | 40 | 23 | 6 | - | 29/ | 100 | 40/ | 140 | 28.6 |
WA | 4 | 13 | 7 | - | 20/ | 49 | 30 | 10 | - | 40/ | 98 | 60/ | 147 | 40.8 |
WV | 50 | 0 | 3 | - | 3/ | 34 | 8 | 8 | - | 16/ | 100 | 19/ | 134 | 14.2 |
WI | 33 | 5 | 2 | - | 7/ | 33 | 17 | 10 | - | 27/ | 99 | 34/ | 132 | 25.8 |
WY | 48 | 1 | 5 | - | 6/ | 30 | 4 | 4 | - | 8/ | 60 | 14/ | 90 | 15.6 |
* States share the same rank if their proportions of women legislators are exactly equal or round off to be equal (AK, IL; CA, NJ; IN, NC; NE, VA).
** I = other parties; in the Senate, 14 non-partisans; in the House, 4 Progressives, 4 Independents.