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
In Harm’s Way? Domestic Violence, AFDC Receipt and Welfare Program
Summarizes the results of a Massachusetts survey of 734 women receiving welfare and reveals these women experience substantial incidence of domestic violence. Based on the study by economist Randy Albelda, University of Massachusetts at Boston.