Summary information on women in state legislatures
Data as of January 2022
Leadership positions include: senate presidents and presidents pro tempore; house speakers and speakers pro tempore; majority and minority leaders of the senate and house as listed on each state legislature’s website. When the position of senate president is filled by the lieutenant governor, it is not included in these totals.
Women hold leadership positions in 32 state senates and in 33 state houses; in 7 states, women do not hold leadership positions in either chamber.
Women who self-identify as more than one race/ethnicity are included on CAWP pages for each group with which they identify. We strongly caution against adding totals from each racial/ethnic group should, as it will double count officeholders.
Of the 88 women currently in state legislative leadership:
- 3 identify as Asian American/Pacific Islander
- 13 identify as Black
- 8 identify as Latina
- 67 identify as white
- Vermont (83.3%)
- Alaska (50.0%)
- Maryland (50.0%)
- Maine (50.0%)
- California (42.9%)
- Nevada (42.9%)
- New York (42.9%)
- Washington (42.9%)
Of the top states for women leaders, MD, ME, NV, VT, and WA also rank in the top ten for the percentages of women serving in their legislatures.
Seven states have no women (0%) in leadership positions: AL, IN, MS, NE, SC, SD, TX.
Of the worst states for women leaders, AL, MS, and SC ranked among the ten states with the lowest percentages of women in their state legislatures.
Leadership by Chamber
| State | Position | First Name | Middle Name | Last Name | Party | Race/Ethnicity | First Year of Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AZ | Senate President | Karen | Fann | R | White | 2019 | |
| MA | Senate President | Karen | Spilka | D | White | 2018 | |
| CA | Senate President Pro Tempore | Toni | Atkins | D | White | 2018 | |
| CO | Senate President Pro Tempore | Kerry | Donovan | D | White | 2021 | |
| HI | Senate President Pro Tempore | Michelle | N. | Kidani | D | Asian American/Pacific Islander, Latina | 2017 |
| LA | Senate President Pro Tempore | Beth | Mizell | R | White | 2020 | |
| MD | Senate President Pro Tempore | Melony | G. | Griffith | D | Black | 2020 |
| NH | Senate President Pro Tempore | Sharon | M. | Carson | R | White | 2021 |
| NJ | Senate President Pro Tempore | Sandra | Cunningham | D | Black | 2022 | |
| NM | Senate President Pro Tempore | Mimi | Stewart | D | White | 2021 | |
| NY* | Senate President Pro Tempore | Andrea | Stewart-Cousins | D | Black | 2019 | |
| RI | Senate President Pro Tempore | Hanna | M. | Gallo | D | White | 2021 |
| VA | Senate President Pro Tempore | Louise | Lucas | D | Black | 2020 | |
| VT | Senate President Pro Tempore | Rebecca | Balint | D | White | 2021 | |
| WA | Senate President Pro Tempore | Karen | Keiser | D | White | 2018 | |
| WV | Senate President Pro Tempore | Donna | J. | Boley | R | White | 2015 |
| AK | Senate Majority Leader | Shelley | Hughes | R | White | 2021 | |
| FL | Senate Majority Leader | Debbie | Mayfield | R | White | 2021 | |
| IL | Senate Majority Leader | Kimberly | Lightford | D | Black | 2019 | |
| MA | Senate Majority Leader | Cynthia | Stone | Creem | D | White | 2018 |
| MD | Senate Majority Leader | Nancy | J. | King | D | White | 2020 |
| ME | Senate Majority Leader | Eloise | Vitelli | D | White | 2021 | |
| NC | Senate Majority Leader | Kathy | Harrington | R | White | 2021 | |
| NJ | Senate Majority Leader | M. Teresa | Ruiz | D | Latina | 2022 | |
| NV | Senate Majority Leader | Nicole | Cannizzaro | D | White | 2019 | |
| NY* | Senate Majority Leader | Andrea | Stewart-Cousins | D | Black | 2019 | |
| PA | Senate Majority Leader | Kim | Ward | R | White | 2021 | |
| VT | Senate Majority Leader | Alison | Clarkson | D | White | 2021 | |
| AZ | Senate Minority Leader | Rebecca | Rios | D | Latina | 2021 | |
| GA | Senate Minority Leader | Gloria | Butler | D | Black | 2021 | |
| ID | Senate Minority Leader | Michelle | Stennett | D | White | 2013 | |
| KS | Senate Minority Leader | Dinah | Sykes | D | White | 2021 | |
| MN | Senate Minority Leader | Melisa | Lopez | Franzen | D | Latina, White | 2021 |
| MT | Senate Minority Leader | Jill | Cohenour | D | White | 2021 | |
| ND | Senate Minority Leader | Joan | Heckaman | D | White | 2017 | |
| NH | Senate Minority Leader | Donna | Soucy | D | White | 2021 | |
| OK | Senate Minority Leader | Kay | Floyd | D | White | 2019 | |
| UT | Senate Minority Leader | Karen | Mayne | D | White | 2019 | |
| WI | Senate Minority Leader | Janet | Bewley | D | White | 2020 |
In 24 states, president pro tempore is the top leadership post held by a senator, the lieutenant governor serves as senate president (AL, AR, CA, CT, DE, GA, ID, IN, MI, MS, MO, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, PA, SD, TX, VT, VA, WA.
*In New York, the Senate President also serves as the Senate Majority Leader.
| State | Position | First Name | Middle Name | Last Name | Party | Race/Ethnicity | First Year of Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | House Speaker | Louise | Stutes | R | White | 2021 | |
| MD | House Speaker | Adrienne | Jones | D | Black | 2019 | |
| MN | House Speaker | Melissa | Hortman | D | White | 2019 | |
| VT | House Speaker | Jill | Krowiniski | D | White | 2021 | |
| WA | House Speaker | Laurie | Jinkins | D | White | 2020 | |
| CO | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Adrienne | Benavidez | D | Latina | 2021 | |
| CT* | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Michelle | Cook | D | White | 2018 | |
| CT* | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Minnie | Gonzalez | D | Latina | 2021 | |
| CT* | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Mary | Mushinsky | D | White | 2020 | |
| GA | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Jan | Slaughter | Jones | R | White | 2011 |
| MA | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Kate | Hogan | D | White | 2021 | |
| MD | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Sheree | L. | Sample-Hughes | D | Black | 2019 |
| MI | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Pamela | Hornberger | R | White | 2021 | |
| MN | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Liz | Olson | D | White | 2019 | |
| NC | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Sarah | Stevens | R | White | 2017 | |
| NH | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Kimberly | Rice | R | White | 2021 | |
| WA | House Speaker Pro Tempore | Tina | Orwall | D | White | 2021 | |
| CA | House Majority Leader | Eloise | Gomez | Reyes | D | Latina | 2021 |
| CO | House Majority Leader | Daneya | Esgar | D | White | 2021 | |
| DE | House Majority Leader | Valerie | J. | Longhurst | D | White | 2013 |
| HI | House Majority Leader | Della Au | Belatti | D | Asian American/Pacific Islander | 2018 | |
| ME | House Majority Leader | Michelle | Dunphy | D | White | 2021 | |
| MT | House Majority Leader | Sue | Vinton | R | White | 2021 | |
| NV | House Majority Leader | Teresa | Benitez-Thompson | D | Latina | 2017 | |
| NY | House Majority Leader | Crystal | D. | Peoples-Stokes | D | Black | 2019 |
| OR | House Majority Leader | Julie | Fahey | D | White | 2022 | |
| VT | House Majority Leader | Emily | Long | D | White | 2021 | |
| WV | House Majority Leader | Amy | Summers | R | White | 2019 | |
| AK | House Minority Leader | Cathy | Tilton | R | White | 2021 | |
| AR | House Minority Leader | Tippi | McCullough | D | White | 2021 | |
| CA | House Minority Leader | Marie | Waldron | R | White | 2019 | |
| HI | House Minority Leader | Val | Okimoto | R | Asian American/Pacific Islander, White | 2021 | |
| IA | House Minority Leader | Jennifer | Konfrst | D | White | 2021 | |
| ID | House Minority Leader | Ilana | Rubel | D | White | 2020 | |
| KY | House Minority Leader | Joni | L. | Jenkins | D | White | 2020 |
| ME | House Minority Leader | Kathleen | R.J. | Dillingham | R | White | 2019 |
| MI | House Minority Leader | Donna | Lasinkski | D | White | 2021 | |
| MO | House Minority Leader | Crystal | Quade | D | White | 2019 | |
| MT | House Minority Leader | Kim | Abbott | D | White | 2021 | |
| NV | House Minority Leader | Robin | Titus | R | White | 2021 | |
| OH | House Minority Leader | Allison | Russo | D | White | 2022 | |
| OK | House Minority Leader | Emily | Virgin | D | White | 2019 | |
| OR | House Minority Leader | Vikki | Breese-Iverson | R | White | 2021 | |
| PA | House Minority Leader | Joanna | E. | McClinton | D | Black | 2021 |
| TN | House Minority Leader | Karen | Camper | D | Black | 2019 | |
| VA | House Minority Leader | Charniele | Herring | D | Black | 2022 | |
| VT | House Minority Leader | Patricia | McCoy | R | White | 2019 | |
| WI | House Minority Leader | Greta | Neubauer | D | White | 2022 | |
| WY | House Minority Leader | Catherine | Connolly | D | White | 2017 |
*In CT and MN there are multiple speakers pro tempore.
The first woman senate president was Vesta Roy (R-NH). The first woman to serve as speaker of a state house was Minnie Davenport Craig (R-ND).
State senator Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI) was the first woman of color and the first Asian Pacific Islander woman to lead either chamber of a state legislature; she served as Hawaii's Senate president from 2007-2011. Sara Gideon was the first Asian Pacific Islander to serve as a House Speaker, serving from 2017 to 2020. Karen Bass (D-CA) was the first woman of color and first Black woman to serve as a House speaker, leading California's Assembly from 2008-2010. Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-NY) was the first Black woman to lead a State Senate, serving as Senate President Pro Tem from 2019 to today. Margarita Prentice (D-WA) was the first Latina to lead a Senate chamber, serving as Senate President Pro Tem from 2011 to 2012. Crisanta Duran (D-CO) was the first Latina to serve as a House Speaker, serving from 2017 to 2019. In 2013, Tina Kotek (D-OR) became the country's first openly lesbian state House speaker, she served until her election to Governor in 2022.
| State | Rank | Total Women Leaders (%) | Senate Majority Party | Senate Women Leaders/All Leaders (%) | House Majority Party | House Women Leaders/All Leaders (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AK | 2 | 3/6 (50.0%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 2/3 (66.7%) |
| AL | 44 | 0/7 (0.0%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| AR | 34 | 1/7 (14.3%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| AZ | 22 | 2/8 (25.0%) | R | 2/4 (50.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| CA | 5 | 3/7 (42.9%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| CO | 9 | 3/8 (37.5%) | D | 1/4 (25.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| CT | 28 | 3/17 (17.6%) | D | 0/3 (0.0%) | D | 3/14 (21.4%) |
| DE | 29 | 1/6 (16.7%) | D | 0/3 (0.0%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) |
| FL | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| GA | 19 | 2/7 (28.6%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| HI | 9 | 3/8 (37.5%) | D | 1/4 (25.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| IA | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| ID | 15 | 2/6 (33.3%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) |
| IL | 29 | 1/6 (16.7%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 0/3 (0.0%) |
| IN | 44 | 0/7 (0.0%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| KS | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| KY | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| LA | 22 | 1/4 (25.0%) | R | 1/2 (50.0%) | R | 0/2 (0.0%) |
| MA | 9 | 3/8 (37.5%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) | D | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| MD | 2 | 4/8 (50.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| ME | 2 | 3/6 (50.0%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 2/3 (66.7%) |
| MI | 15 | 2/6 (33.3%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 2/3 (66.7%) |
| MN | 9 | 3/8 (37.5%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| MO | 34 | 1/7 (14.3%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| MS | 44 | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 0/1 (0.0%) | R | 0/2 (0.0%) |
| MT | 9 | 3/8 (37.5%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) | R | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| NC | 19 | 2/7 (28.6%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| ND | 29 | 1/6 (16.7%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) |
| NE | 44 | 0/1 (0.0%) | NP | 0/1 (0.0%) | N/A | Unicameral |
| NH | 9 | 3/8 (37.5%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| NJ | 22 | 2/8 (25.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) | D | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| NM | 29 | 1/6 (16.7%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 0/3 (0.0%) |
| NV | 5 | 3/7 (42.9%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| NY | 5 | 3/7 (42.9%) | D | 2/3 (66.7%) | D | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| OH | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| OK | 19 | 2/7 (28.6%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| OR | 22 | 2/8 (25.0%) | D | 0/4 (0.0%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| PA | 15 | 2/6 (33.3%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) |
| RI | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | D | 1/4 (25.0%) | D | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| SC | 44 | 0/7 (0.0%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| SD | 44 | 0/7 (0.0%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) |
| TN | 34 | 1/7 (14.3%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| TX | 44 | 0/3 (0.0%) | R | 0/1 (0.0%) | R | 0/2 (0.0%) |
| UT | 29 | 1/6 (16.7%) | R | 1/3 (33.3%) | R | 0/3 (0.0%) |
| VA | 15 | 2/6 (33.3%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) |
| VT | 1 | 5/6 (83.3%) | D | 2/3 (66.7%) | D | 3/3 (100.0%) |
| WA | 5 | 3/7 (42.9%) | D | 1/3 (33.3%) | D | 2/4 (50.0%) |
| WI | 22 | 2/8 (25.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| WV | 22 | 2/8 (25.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| WY | 37 | 1/8 (12.5%) | R | 0/4 (0.0%) | R | 1/4 (25.0%) |
| Totals | 88/350 (25.1%) | 39/162 (24.1) | 49/188 (26.1) |
Rank is for leadership positions only and is based on combined senate and house figures. States with the exact same percentages are given the same rank; states with no women in leadership positions share the rank of 44.