Majority of State Legislators in Colorado and New Mexico to be Women
Denver, Colorado — For the first time in history, women will hold the majority of seats in state legislatures in both Colorado and New Mexico, according to recent data released by the Rutgers Center for American Women and Politics. While the landmark achievement highlights progress for female representation, a total of 13 states experienced declines in their number of female lawmakers following the November elections.
As of Wednesday, at least 2,450 women are set to serve in state legislatures across the United States, accounting for approximately 33.2% of the total legislative seats. This marks a slight increase from the previous record of 2,431 women recorded in 2024, but overall, the uptick in female representation remains modest.
Discovering New Representation
Women in state legislatures will see notable gains in the upcoming year, particularly in New Mexico and Colorado. New Mexico voters elected an additional 11 women to their state chambers. Meanwhile, Colorado, which already achieved gender parity last year, will transition to a slight female majority. Following closely is Nevada, where women will make up nearly 62% of the legislative body, reaffirming its status as the first state to reach a female majority after the 2018 elections.
“We certainly would like to see a faster rate of change and more significant increases in each election cycle to get us to a place where parity in state legislatures is less novel and more normal,” said Kelly Dittmar, director of research at the CAWP.
Republican Women in the Minority
Among the notable shifts, at least 851 Republican women will serve in state legislatures, surpassing the record of 815 set last year. However, these numbers still indicate that Republican women are significantly underrepresented in comparison to their Democratic counterparts, as detailed by CAWP’s director Debbie Walsh.
Moreover, 19 states have increased their female legislative representation, with South Dakota making significant improvements by adding at least nine women. Unfortunately, 13 states emerged with fewer female lawmakers than before, with South Carolina witnessing the steepest decline. The state is down to just two women in the 46-member Senate, both of whom are Democrats, following the loss of the three Republican women who previously served.
The Importance of Female Voices
Women’s experiences and perspectives are increasingly necessary in policy dialogues, especially as state governments see elevated influence in recent years. Walsh emphasizes the need for women’s input on crucial issues related to reproductive rights, healthcare, education, and childcare, noting that as the federal government diverts attention from these topics, states may need to step in.
“The states may have to pick up where the federal government may, in fact, be walking away,” Walsh stated. “And so who serves in those institutions is more important now than ever.”
Future Outlook
Currently, South Carolina’s female representation has slipped to just 13%, making it one of the lowest nationally, alongside West Virginia, which faces a similar struggle with an even lower percentage. The trajectory suggests a slow path ahead for enhancing female leadership in these states, especially given the long-standing seniority rules that greatly influence leadership positions.
As the new legislative year approaches, the landscape reveals both positive strides towards greater female representation in some states and stubborn challenges in others. Continued advocacy for equality in state legislatures remains essential to achieving a balanced and representative government.
