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The Independent
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Childcare in the Capitol: As more women run for office, some are bringing their kids
When Florida state Rep. Fiona McFarland's infant daughter, Grace Melton, crawled for the first time, the mom of four was right next door, hard at work with her legislative policy staff in the state Capitol. Thanks to the on-site childcare available in the statehouse, McFarland didn't miss that magical first milestone in her 7-month-old's young life. 'The sitter I had with her just grabbed me out of my meeting right next door and I came over and got to witness it,' McFarland recalled. As more women and young people run for public office, they're bringing more than fresh policy ideas to statehouses — some are bringing their kids. Like working parents across the country, some lawmakers are scrambling to find childcare that fits their often unpredictable schedules, at a price they can afford. Rushing back and forth from their districts, they juggle meetings with constituents and coordinate their children's drop-offs, power through late-night floor sessions and step out to pump breast milk between votes, hoping to make it home for their kids' bedtime. 'Looking back, I'm like, 'How did I do that?'" Michigan state Sen. Stephanie Chang said, recalling those frenzied years when she was a new legislator and a new mom. The Democrat used to race across the state with her baby and freezer bags of milk in tow, leaving her daughter with family members so she could make her 9 a.m. committee meetings at the state Capitol in Lansing. In one of the few industrialized countries that lacks universal paid family leave, Chang says America 's childcare crunch is keeping some parents from running for public office because they simply 'cannot make it all work," ultimately leaving young families with fewer advocates to help decide "what we're doing for the future of our children.' Advocates push for more support, as more young parents get elected Some state capitols, which were mostly built before women could vote, still lack enough accessible bathrooms, advocates say, let alone spaces to comfortably change a baby's diaper or nurse an infant. "Legislators legislate based on their lived experience," said Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder of the Vote Mama Foundation, which pushes to break barriers that moms face while running for office. 'We have terrible policies that fail women and children across the country because we don't have enough moms serving at any level of government,' she said. As of this year, 33% of state legislators were women, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. Fewer than 8% of those lawmakers are moms of minor children, a Vote Mama analysis found. Statehouses' childcare offerings largely lag behind other workplaces, but advocates say they're gaining some ground. The Virginia House of Delegates now gives a childcare stipend to members with young kids to help cover their expenses during session. At least two-thirds of states allow candidates of any gender running for public office to use campaign funds to pay for child care expenses after the Federal Elections Commission approved the practice for federal candidates in 2018. A childcare space just for Florida lawmakers Inside the echoing halls of Florida's Capitol, amid the chattering of lobbyists and the clicking of high heels, the voices of children like Grace can be heard as they play inside two on-site childcare spaces that were created just for the kids of legislators. McFarland, whose four children are ages 5 and under, was elected for the first time in 2020, when she was pregnant with her first child. Since then, her public service has been fueled by 'caffeine and dry shampoo," she joked. On early mornings before the Capitol's in-house day care opens up, McFarland plops Grace into a bouncy chair that sits on her desk in her legislative office, or holds the baby with one hand as she flips through briefing books with the other. 'Moms will always make it work,' said McFarland, a Republican. While the House is in session or committee hearings are in swing, McFarland is able to drop her daughter off at the childcare upstairs. The space isn't open every day and the hours vary, McFarland says, an experience many working parents can empathize with. The staff working in the Capitol's childcare are paid out of campaign funds, spokespeople for the House speaker and Senate president said. The initiative grew out of the Legislature's program for lawmakers' spouses, many of whom travel to Tallahassee for session. After the day care has closed for the afternoon, Grace comes back downstairs to nap and play in a nursery McFarland has set up in the room next door to her office. McFarland also hires sitters to take care of her baby when the childcare space isn't open, a cost she pays for herself. Every working parent has to make tradeoffs, McFarland said, but having childcare in the Capitol means she doesn't have to make quite as many. 'That's what makes Florida stronger, right? Is when we have good representatives and we have good parents — who are able to do both,' McFarland said. Florida's Capitol childcare is an 'informal' approach, but could serve as a model for legislatures across the country, Grechen Shirley said. It's a 'first step' she said, that states should bolster with other supportive policies like allowing proxy voting, paying lawmakers a 'livable wage' and letting candidates use campaign funds to cover childcare expenses. 'If we want a legislature that actually reflects our society, we have to make it easier for young families to run for office and to stay in office," Grechen Shirley said. ___ Associated Press writers Olivia Diaz in Richmond, Virginia and Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan contributed to this report. Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. The Associated Press' women in the workforce and state government coverage receives financial support from Pivotal Ventures. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Latinas hold more state legislature seats than ever before
The number of Latinas serving in state legislatures this year marks a new record for Latinas in this level of government. In all, 214 Latinas hold seats in state legislatures nationwide, up from 192 in 2024, according to the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP). Latinas weren't the only ones to set records in last year's elections, though. Black, Asian American and Pacific Islander women, as well as women of Native backgrounds, also broke new ground in state legislative elections. 'Across the board, we actually did see a net gain in women's representation at the state legislative level, which was notable because we did not see that at the congressional level or at the statewide executive level,' Kelly Dittmar, the director of research at CAWP, told The 19th. 'When we're seeing these gains, they're coming among racially and ethnically diverse women.' Only White women hold fewer legislative seats this year in 2025 than they did in 2024. The rise in the number of Latinas serving in state houses, in particular, follows an important political trend in the United States: Latinx voters accounted for nearly half of newly eligible voters in 2024 and Latinas vote at higher rates than Latinx voters overall. Dittmar noted that early data on the 2024 electorate indicates that the Latinx voting population went up 12 percent last year — mirroring the rate of gains Latinas made in state legislatures. 'The more Latinos we have who are politically both eligible and engaged, the more likely it is that we're going to see greater representation,' Dittmar said. Of the 214 Latinas serving in a state house, 182 are Democrats, 31 are Republicans and one identifies as nonpartisan. Latinas now hold 2.9 percent of state legislative seats nationwide and make up 9.6 percent of the population. The gains by Black and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women in state legislatures this year were largely for Democratic women legislators. Latinas, on the other hand, saw gains among Democrats and Republicans. 'When you think about opportunities, especially in a year where Republican women actually did fare better, if you look at the net gains among state legislators who are women, Republican women really account for most of the net gain,' Dittmar explained — something particularly pronounced among newly elected Latinas at this level of government. 'Among Latinas, we're seeing at least slightly more partisan diversity. That allows for them to see success in this overall racial and ethnic group, inclusive of both parties doing well.' Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian women also saw a significant increase in their numbers in state legislatures, according to CAWP. Forty-four women of Native backgrounds currently hold seats in state legislatures, up from 36 in 2023, when they set their record. That amounts to 0.6 percent of state legislative seats; Native women comprise 1.1 percent of the U.S. population. There are now 107 AAPI women serving in these roles; the previous record, from 2023, was 100. Black women, who have made the largest gains in politics among women from historically marginalized groups, amount to 399 members in state legislatures, 13 more than last year. 'We're seeing more and more diversity in terms of race and ethnicity and, in my mind, that is a good thing — it brings more perspectives and lived experiences to the table,' Dittmar said. 'It means we're just moving closer to the representativeness of these bodies that is supposedly promised in a representative democracy.' The post Latinas hold more state legislature seats than ever before appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Record numbers of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native women elected to state legislatures
Record numbers of Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native women are serving in state legislatures this year, according to an analysis following the 2024 elections, but advocates for female representation in elected office say the numbers fall short of demographics. The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University found that the number of female state lawmakers has continued to trend up nationally, with more than a third of state legislative seats now held by women — the largest segment ever recorded and more than five times the female representation in 1971. Women make up slightly more than half the U.S. population, according to Census data. The CAWP's analysis also found record-breaking diversity among the women elected. Nearly 400 Black women are serving in statehouses this year, up from the previous record of 386 set last year; 214 Latina state lawmakers this year bests last year's record of 192; the 107 female legislators who are Asian American or Pacific Islander have broken the record of 100 set in 2023; and women who identify as Native American, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian hold 44 seats, up from the record 36 set in 2023. When broken down by racial and ethnic lines, only white women hold fewer state legislative seats in 2025 than they did in 2024, the CAWP found. The figures include women who identify as more than one racial or ethnic group, so some have been counted multiple times across categories. 'It's encouraging to see increasing diversity among women serving in state legislative seats, but the broader context tells a different story,' CAWP Director Debbie Walsh said in a statement on the findings. 'The 2024 election led to only modest gains for the number of women holding state legislative seats, and women of all backgrounds are still significantly underrepresented in state legislatures.' 'Women now hold just a third of these seats, a significant improvement from the 11 percent they held 45 years ago, but still a long way from 50 percent,' she added. Nearly two-thirds, or 1,580, of the nation's 2,469 female state lawmakers are Democrats, while 867 are Republicans and five are independents. Seventeen have no party affiliation, as elections for Nebraska's unicameral Legislature are nonpartisan. The Nevada Legislature, the country's third-smallest bicameral state Legislature with just 63 members combined in the House and Senate, has the largest female representation at nearly 62 percent, according to the report. For the first time ever, women make up a majority — 51 of 100 members — of state lawmakers in Colorado this year. West Virginia has the smallest female bloc at slightly less than 12 percent, or 16 of the state Legislature's 134 members. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
21-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Record numbers of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native women elected to state legislatures
Record numbers of Black, Hispanic, Asian and Native women are serving in state legislatures this year, according to a new analysis following the 2024 elections, but advocates for female representation in elected office say the numbers fall short of demographics. The Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP) at Rutgers University found that the number of female state lawmakers has continued to trend up nationally, with more than a third of state legislative seats now held by women — the largest segment ever recorded and more than five times the female representation in 1971. Women make up slightly more than half the U.S. population, according to Census data. CAWP's analysis also found record-breaking diversity among the women elected. Nearly 400 Black women are serving in statehouses this year, up from the previous record 386 set last year; 214 Latina state lawmakers this year bests last year's record of 192; the 107 female legislators who identify as Asian American or Pacific Islander have broken the record of 100 set in 2023; and women who identify as Native American, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian hold 44 seats, up from the record 36 set in 2023. Only white women hold fewer state legislative seats in 2025 than they did in 2024, when broken down by racial and ethnic lines, CAWP found. The figures include women who identify as more than one racial or ethnic group, so some have been counted multiple times across categories. 'It's encouraging to see increasing diversity among women serving in state legislative seats, but the broader context tells a different story,' CAWP director Debbie Walsh said in a statement on the findings. 'The 2024 election led to only modest gains for the number of women holding state legislative seats, and women of all backgrounds are still significantly underrepresented in state legislatures.' 'Women now hold just a third of these seats, a significant improvement from the 11 percent they held 45 years ago, but still a long way from 50 percent,' she added. 2024 Election Coverage Nearly two-thirds, or 1,580, of the nation's 2,469 female state lawmakers are Democrats, while 867 are Republicans and five are independents. Seventeen have no party affiliation, as elections for Nebraska's unicameral legislature are nonpartisan. The Nevada Legislature, which is the country's third-smallest bicameral state legislature with just 63 members combined in the House and Senate, has the largest female representation at nearly 62 percent, according to CAWP's report. Women make up a razor-thin majority of state lawmakers in Colorado for the first time this year at 51 percent, or 51 of the 100 members. West Virginia has the smallest female bloc at slightly less than 12 percent, or 16 of the state legislature's 134 members.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Contributor: Why California leads the way toward parity for women in elected office
In these tough times, as we grapple with saving America itself, it is important to note progress and victories. This year, for the first time, women make up a majority in California's state Senate. Across both chambers, 58 women — a record high — are serving. This is just two seats away from gender parity, which would make California the largest global economy — and one of only four U.S. states — to have a legislature that is 50% women. In the Assembly, for the first time, a majority of committees are chaired by women. For me, it is a great moment. Why? Because it matters who is in the room where decisions are made for our families and our communities. It's not just about numbers: It's about policies. When we sit around the table discussing family issues at home, all voices should be represented in order to fully understand each person's problems and find solutions that will work. That's just common sense. The year I got to the U.S. Senate — 1992 — was called 'the year of the woman.' I always thought that was a great overstatement because even though we tripled our numbers in the Senate, we only went from two to six! So we were 6% of the Senate, and the media called it a great victory. Don't get me wrong. It was a start, and now 26% of senators are women. But it has been a slow grind to get here — and that's still 24 seats short of reflecting the nation's gender balance. That is why what is happening in California deserves attention. The Golden State's path to parity has not been serendipity or an inevitable result of California liberalism. A new report from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University highlights the strategies that have accelerated women's numbers in the Legislature. In 2013, women's representation was tracking to fall to a 20-year low of just 22%. We were moving backward. One group of activists realized that targeted recruiting of women for specific districts could be a game changer. They started an organization called Close the Gap, and in the decade since, the number of Democratic women elected to the California Legislature has more than doubled, from 23 to 47 seats. California has leapfrogged from 19th to 4th in the nation for women's state legislative representation. What made this work? The report gives a lot of credit to early, strategic targeting of winnable districts, personalized coaching for prospective candidates and the amazing network of organizations that work to elect more women. When I first ran for office, there were few resources for women who wanted to run. In fact, I founded the first chapter of the National Women's Political Caucus in Marin County before I ran for county supervisor. When I ran for the U.S. Senate, a new group called EMILY's List helped women candidates access funding like never before. Today, there are multiple groups that provide political training for women and PACs that endorse and fund women candidates. These organizations have compressed the timeline for achieving parity in Sacramento to just over a decade. When I think about the painfully slow progress toward parity in Congress, I wonder what we can learn from California to close the gender gap nationally. The Anita Hill hearings in 1991 inspired a generation of women to take political action. The past decade has provided its own powerful moments that have ignited change. From the 'Me Too' movement to the devastating overturning of Roe vs. Wade, women are angry. But anger alone is not enough. Real transformation is built through strategy, organizing and a collective commitment to action. At the heart of this transformation is the power of representation: When women see other women wielding influence and shaping decisions at the highest levels, something clicks, and they begin to believe that change is not only possible but within their reach. I know the power of representation firsthand. As I traveled the state as a senator, young girls would run up to me after an event and say: 'You're just like me! Maybe I can be a senator someday.' And I don't think they were just talking about the fact that we were the same height. Our democracy is a constant work in progress — and we can't afford to take it for granted. We don't have the luxury of complacency; we must keep organizing and innovating because, frankly, the stakes are too high. A favorite union-organizing song of mine goes like this: 'Freedom, freedom is a hard won thing / You've got to work for it, fight for it, day and night for it / And every generation has to do it again.' Past generations have fought for and won big gains; new generations must take up the mantle and push further. I'm hopeful for a future when every woman, in every community, has the opportunity to shape the decisions that affect her life. The future will be defined by the strong, smart women who step up to run for every kind of political office — and by those who organize over the long term to help them win. Barbara Boxer represented California in the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2017. She also served for 10 years in the House of Representatives and as a Marin County supervisor for six years. If it's in the news right now, the L.A. Times' Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
