Fewer Women in 2001 Legislatures.

PositionStatistical Data Included - Brief Article

The percentage of women serving in state legislatures has dropped slightly, according to preliminary estimates by the Center for American Women in Politics, Rutgers University. A total of 1,670 women served their states in the legislature in 2000--22.4 percent. When new lawmakers are sworn in, there will be 1,639 in 2001--22.1 percent.

"It took us 30 years to get to 22.4 percent," says Debbie Walsh, associate director of the center. "I'm looking at the decrease as a wake-up call.

"Why has it gone down?" she continues. "It's complicated."

Term limits may be a contributing factor, she hazarded, noting that Michigan lost half the women serving in its House to those limits. She added that work by political parties and women's groups in helping women get elected seems to have decreased. And we seem to be at a moment where public service is something people just don't want to do," she said.

In a state-by-state breakdown, the highest percentage of women legislators can be found in Washington (which held the same No. 1 position last year) with 40.1 percent; Colorado (moving up from No. 4), 35 percent; Nevada (dropping from second), 34.9 percent; Arizona, (down from No. 3), 33.3 percent; and Kansas (holding at fifth), 32.7...

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