Political Participation

Shaping their own future

When women participate in the political process, they shape policies in ways that reflect their interests and needs. The Status of Women in the States’ Political Participation Index looks at women as voters, grassroots activists and campaign fundraisers, and officeholders and examines the uneven progress they have made.

Explore the Data

The Political Participation Index measures women’s political participation through four key indicators. Each state is ranked and graded based on their performance on these four measures.

Women in Elected Office

State	Score	Rank
Alabama	-0.48	31
Alaska	0.09	19
Arizona	1.8	5
Arkansas	-0.94	46
California	1.41	7
Colorado	-0.02	21
Connecticut	-0.33	25
Delaware	0.22	18
Florida	-0.35	26
Georgia	-0.05	22
Hawaii	0.46	16
Idaho	-0.33	24
Illinois	0.55	14
Indiana	-0.45	29
Iowa	0.91	10
Kansas	0.26	17
Kentucky	-1.2	47
Louisiana	-1.52	50
Maine	1.83	4
Maryland	-0.77	38
Massachusetts	0.63	13
Michigan	1.64	6
Minnesota	1.36	8
Mississippi	-0.42	28
Missouri	-0.82	41
Montana	-0.72	37
Nebraska	-0.69	35
Nevada	2.55	1
New Hampshire	1.93	2
New Jersey	-0.63	33
New Mexico	0.7	12
New York	0.5	15
North Carolina	-0.87	43
North Dakota	-0.88	44
Ohio	-0.89	45
Oklahoma	-0.8	39
Oregon	0.93	9
Pennsylvania	-0.82	40
Rhode Island	0.83	11
South Carolina	-1.44	49
South Dakota	-0.25	23
Tennessee	-0.58	32
Texas	-0.85	42
Utah	-1.26	48
Vermont	-0.39	27
Virginia	-0.63	33
Washington	1.89	3
West Virginia	-0.71	36
Wisconsin	0.1	19
Wyoming	-0.47	30

Average Percent of Women Who Registered to Vote, 2016 and 2018

State	Percent	Rank
Alabama	69.6%	17
Alaska	66.6%	29
Arizona	62.4%	40
Arkansas	61.7%	43
California	54.5%	49
Colorado	65.4%	32
Connecticut	64.9%	36
Delaware	67.5%	25
Florida	59.5%	45
Georgia	65.1%	35
Hawaii	51.8%	50
Idaho	61.8%	42
Illinois	67.3%	26
Indiana	64.2%	39
Iowa	70.3%	15
Kansas	69.5%	19
Kentucky	72.4%	9
Louisiana	70.4%	14
Maine	79.8%	1
Maryland	67.8%	24
Massachusetts	65.2%	34
Michigan	72.8%	7
Minnesota	74.3%	3
Mississippi	77.9%	2
Missouri	73.7%	6
Montana	72.8%	7
Nebraska	69.6%	17
Nevada	59.3%	46
New Hampshire	71.1%	11
New Jersey	62.3%	41
New Mexico	61.6%	44
New York	58.8%	48
North Carolina	67.8%	23
North Dakota	73.7%	5
Ohio	71.1%	10
Oklahoma	64.5%	38
Oregon	69.5%	18
Pennsylvania	68.7%	21
Rhode Island	66.8%	27
South Carolina	68.2%	22
South Dakota	69.6%	16
Tennessee	64.7%	37
Texas	59.1%	47
Utah	66.2%	31
Vermont	70.4%	13
Virginia	68.8%	20
Washington	70.6%	12
West Virginia	65.4%	32
Wisconsin	74.1%	4
Wyoming	66.6%	29

Average Percent of Women Who Voted, 2016 and 2018

State	Percent	Rank
Alabama	54.9%	34
Alaska	56.1%	25
Arizona	55.5%	32
Arkansas	49.6%	44
California	47.6%	48
Colorado	60.4%	12
Connecticut	54.3%	35
Delaware	55.7%	31
Florida	51.8%	40
Georgia	56.6%	22
Hawaii	43.7%	50
Idaho	52.8%	37
Illinois	55.8%	29
Indiana	52.3%	39
Iowa	60.1%	13
Kansas	58.0%	19
Kentucky	56.0%	28
Louisiana	55.7%	30
Maine	70.5%	1
Maryland	55.4%	33
Massachusetts	56.1%	27
Michigan	61.8%	8
Minnesota	64.6%	4
Mississippi	62.4%	6
Missouri	60.6%	10
Montana	65.7%	3
Nebraska	58.6%	18
Nevada	49.1%	45
New Hampshire	61.6%	9
New Jersey	52.6%	38
New Mexico	50.3%	43
New York	49.1%	46
North Carolina	56.2%	24
North Dakota	63.5%	5
Ohio	59.3%	14
Oklahoma	51.7%	41
Oregon	60.5%	11
Pennsylvania	57.4%	21
Rhode Island	54.0%	36
South Carolina	56.1%	25
South Dakota	56.4%	23
Tennessee	51.1%	42
Texas	47.2%	49
Utah	57.9%	20
Vermont	59.2%	15
Virginia	58.8%	16
Washington	62.0%	7
West Virginia	48.2%	47
Wisconsin	67.4%	2
Wyoming	58.7%	17

Women’s Institutional Resources Index

State	Score	Rank
Alabama	1.00	25
Alaska	0.00	50
Arizona	1.00	25
Arkansas	0.50	40
California	2.00	1
Colorado	1.00	25
Connecticut	1.50	5
Delaware	1.50	5
Florida	2.00	1
Georgia	1.50	5
Hawaii	1.50	5
Idaho	0.50	40
Illinois	1.00	25
Indiana	1.50	5
Iowa	1.50	5
Kansas	1.50	5
Kentucky	1.50	5
Louisiana	0.50	40
Maine	1.00	25
Maryland	1.00	25
Massachusetts	2.00	1
Michigan	1.50	5
Minnesota	1.50	5
Mississippi	1.00	25
Missouri	1.50	5
Montana	0.50	40
Nebraska	0.50	40
Nevada	0.50	40
New Hampshire	1.00	25
New Jersey	1.50	5
New Mexico	1.00	25
New York	1.50	5
North Carolina	1.50	5
North Dakota	1.00	25
Ohio	1.50	5
Oklahoma	1.50	5
Oregon	1.50	5
Pennsylvania	1.50	5
Rhode Island	0.50	40
South Carolina	1.00	25
South Dakota	1.00	25
Tennessee	1.50	5
Texas	2.00	1
Utah	0.50	40
Vermont	1.00	25
Virginia	0.50	40
Washington	1.50	5
West Virginia	1.00	25
Wisconsin	1.00	25
Wyoming	0.50	40

Political Participation Rank and Score by State

Articles and Publications

Head Start College Partnership to Promote Student Parent Family Success: A Roadmap for Collaboration
Head Start College Partnership to Promote Student Parent Family Success: A Roadmap for Collaboration

Head Start College Partnership to Promote Student Parent Family Success: A Roadmap for Collaboration

Collaboration between colleges and Head Start programs holds promise for promoting the educational and economic well-being of college students with young children.

By Lindsey Reichlin Cruse, Tessa Holtzman and Susana Contreras-Mendez|September 11, 2020|Student Parent Success Initiative, Toolkit|

Stepping Up to Lead: Women Re-Shaping America’s Leadership, Politics & Priorities
Stepping Up to Lead: Women Re-Shaping America’s Leadership, Politics & Priorities

Stepping Up to Lead: Women Re-Shaping America’s Leadership, Politics & Priorities

Women comprise more than 50 percent of the U.S. population but currently hold just 23 percent of elected seats in Congress and about 1 in 3 state legislative seats. In 2018, a record number of women were elected to office—117 women, including 42 women of color—bringing their expertise, diverse experiences, and agenda for broad and inclusive change to Congress and state legislatures across the country.

By Elyse Shaw, C. Nicole Mason and Adiam Tesfaselassie|August 18, 2020|Briefing Paper, Research and Action Hub|

Black Women to Reach Equal Pay with White Men in 2130
Black Women to Reach Equal Pay with White Men in 2130

Black Women to Reach Equal Pay with White Men in 2130

The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the pernicious effect of gender and racial inequality, and the profound undervaluation of some of the most essential jobs for society, ones that require the care and supports of families.

By Ariane Hegewisch and Chandra Childers|August 13, 2020|Briefing Paper, Economic, Security, Mobility, and Equity, Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Economy|

The Status of Women In North Carolina: Political Participation
The Status of Women In North Carolina: Political Participation

The Status of Women In North Carolina: Political Participation

The Status of Women in North Carolina: Political Participation presents data on several aspects of women’s involvement in the political process in North Carolina, comparing North Carolina to other states and the United States overall.

By Elyse Shaw and Adiam Tesfaselassie|August 11, 2020|Report, Status of Women|

Serving the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Community College Students: Promising Practices to Promote Student Success
Serving the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Community College Students: Promising Practices to Promote Student Success

Serving the Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Community College Students: Promising Practices to Promote Student Success

Sexual and reproductive health and well-being plays a central role in the lives of young adults. The report describes existing gaps in service provision and highlights a range of practices that can be replicated and scaled up to expand access for community college students.

By Lindsey Reichlin Cruse and Anna Bernstein|August 9, 2020|Briefing Paper, Center for the Economics of Reproductive Health|

Halting Recovery Leaves Women’s Unemployment in Double Digits, and Women’s Payroll Employment Still 6.9 Million Below Pre-Crisis Levels
Halting Recovery Leaves Women’s Unemployment in Double Digits, and Women’s Payroll Employment Still 6.9 Million Below Pre-Crisis Levels

Halting Recovery Leaves Women’s Unemployment in Double Digits, and Women’s Payroll Employment Still 6.9 Million Below Pre-Crisis Levels

New jobs figures from July show much less job growth than in the previous month, and while women were the majority of those who gained jobs, they continue to face a higher jobs deficit than men, according to the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics latest Employment Situation release.

By Ariane Hegewisch and Chandra Childers|August 7, 2020|Economic, Security, Mobility, and Equity, Quick Figure|

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