Getting There: Women in Political Office

Since the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, women's representation in public offices has grown slowly, and women are still greatly underrepresented in most states and in the national government. Since 1975, the women's movement has provided impetus for the steady growth in the numbers of women in office. The number of women in Congress, 31, is the highest ever. Women constitute 18 percent of the state legislatures, 17 percent of state executives, 9 percent of county governing boards, and 14 percent of mayors and city councils. The proportion of women in America's Congress is about half the average for national legislative bodies throughout the world. Many theories have been developed to explain the under-representation of women in politics. Political culture, socialization, and role conflict have all had an impact on women's representation. Discrimination against women by political elites and voters has also existed. Finally, the political structure itself forms barriers to the election of women. Current trends, however, are favorable to the continued gradual increase in the number of women in public office.