Facts on women candidates and elected officials
In 2008, 86 women serve in the U.S. Congress. Sixteen women serve in the Senate, and 70 women serve in the House. The number of women in statewide elective executive posts is 74, while the proportion of women in state legislatures is at 23.6 percent.
Congress: women hold 86, or 16.1%, of the 535 seats in the 110th US Congress — 16, or 16.0%, of the 100 seats in the Senate and 70, or 16.1%, of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives. In addition, three women serve as Delegates to the House from Guam, the Virgin Islands and Washington, DC.
Statewide Elective Executive: In 2008, 74 women hold statewide elective executive offices across the country; women hold 23.5% of the 315 available positions. Among these women, 44 are Democrats, 27 are Republicans, and 3 were elected in nonpartisan races.
State Legislature: In 2008, 1,741, or 23.6%, of the 7,382 state legislators in the United States are women. Women hold 423, or 21.5%, of the 1,971 state senate seats and 1,318, or 24.4%, of the 5,411 state house seats. Since 1971, the number of women serving in state legislatures has more than quintupled.
