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

Women and Men Living on the Edge: Economic Insecurity After the Great Recession
Women and Men Living on the Edge: Economic Insecurity After the Great Recession

Women and Men Living on the Edge: Economic Insecurity After the Great Recession

The IWPR/Rockefeller Survey of Economic Security, like several other recent surveys, finds that the effects of the 2007–2009 recession, known as the Great Recession, are both broad and deep. The IWPR/Rockefeller survey shows that more than one and a half years after the recession came to an official end, and the recovery supposedly began, many women and men report that they are still suffering significant hardships.

By Jeff Hayes and Heidi Hartmann|September 30, 2011|Report|

Recommendations for Improving Women’s Employment in the Recovery

DOWNLOAD REPORT In the current economic recovery, women are facing a gap in employment that jeopardizes the well-being and economic security of themselves and their families. This briefing paper, prepared by a group of scholars and researchers collaborating as the Women Scholars Forum, [...]

By The Women's Scholars Program|September 1, 2011|Briefing Paper, Economic, Security, Mobility, and Equity|

Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope
Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope

Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope

This report draws on the IWPR/WAGE Consent Decree Database to analyze the injunctive relief awarded in 502 sex and/or race discrimination settlements that became effective between 2000 and 2008.

By Ariane Hegewisch, Cynthia Deitch and Evelyn Murphy|May 27, 2011|Report|

Watch: Martha Burk discusses equal pay initiative in New Mexico

https://youtu.be/qhl7tvs7zJg Martha Burk (Director, Corporate Accountability Project, National Council of Women's Organizations, and former Senior Policy Adviser for Women's Issues to Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico) discusses her initiative to achieve equal pay in New Mexico's contract compliance program, which is the only program [...]

By IWPR|May 11, 2011|Economic, Security, Mobility, and Equity, Presentation|

Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope (Executive Summary)
Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope (Executive Summary)

Ending Sex and Race Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope (Executive Summary)

This report draws on the IWPR/WAGE Consent Decree Database to analyze the injunctive relief awarded in 502 sex and/or race discrimination settlements that became effective between 2000 and 2008. (Executive Summary)

By Ariane Hegewisch, Cynthia Deitch and Evelyn Murphy|March 27, 2011|Executive Summary|

Organizations Working with Latina Immigrants: Resources and Strategies for Change
Organizations Working with Latina Immigrants: Resources and Strategies for Change

Organizations Working with Latina Immigrants: Resources and Strategies for Change

DOWNLOAD REPORT IWPR’s study explored the challenges many Latina immigrants face and the ways that nonprofit organizations and congregations strive to address them in three areas with rapidly growing immigrant populations: Atlanta, Georgia; Phoenix, Arizona; and Northern Virginia, a region within the Washington, [...]

By Cynthia Hess, Ph.D., Jane Henrici and Claudia Williams|March 24, 2011|Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and Economy, Report|

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