California, San Francisco increase share of women lawmakers
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Women will hold a record number of state legislative seats next year, filling about a third of seats nationwide.
Why it matters: California increased the number of women in its state legislature from 50 to 56, but women still make up less than half of state lawmakers (47%), the AP reports.
The latest: While most of San Francisco's state representatives are men, the city is often recognized as a launching pad for the country's top female politicians.
- That includes the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Vice President Harris and House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who represents California's 11th congressional district.
Zoom in: This year's election results led to minor gains for San Francisco at the state level but saw new women elected locally.
- San Francisco Supervisor Catherine Stefani won a state Assembly seat vacated by Phil Ting, who termed out this year.
- Nearly half of the members on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors are women, but that could change once the mayor appoints the seat being vacated by Stefani.
- Two of the four new members who are joining the board in the new year are women: Chyanne Chen in district 11 and Jackie Fielder in district 9.
The other side: Mayor London Breed, the city's first Black woman mayor, was unseated by Levi's heir Daniel Lurie in a tight election.
- Two male incumbents, state Assemblymember Matt Haney and state Sen. Scott Wiener, were reelected.
Zoom out: The most notable increases for female elected officials were in New Mexico and Colorado, where women will make up most lawmakers for the first time.
- 19 states will increase the number of women in their state legislatures in 2025, according to Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics.
- Female GOP state lawmakers, at least 851, will break the record set last year.
Yes, but: The uptick was small. And at least 13 states saw losses in female representation.