Facts: Women of Color in Public Office in 2011

Needed!
More women running for public office. Research has consistently shown that women legislators differ from men in issues addressed, positions taken, and approaches used. Increasing the number of women appointed and elected to all levels of public office would have a significant impact on what government does and how it functions.

Congress

Women hold only 90 (16.8%) of the 535 seats in the U.S. Congress – 17 of the 100 seats in the Senate and 73 of the 435 seats in the House.  24 (27%) are women of color, all in the House: African American – 13D; Asian Pacific Islander – 4D; Latina – 7 (5D, 2R).   One woman of color has served in the Senate: Carol Moseley Braun (D-IL).  A total of 42 has served in the

Statewide Elective Executives

Women hold only 71 (22.4%) of the 317 statewide elective executive positions.  11 (15.5%) are women of color: African American – 4 (3D, 1R); Asian American – 1 R; Latina – 4 (1D, 2R, 1NP); Native American – 2D.  Two of these women are the first women of color to serve as governors:  Nikki Haley (R-SC) and Susana Martinez (R-NM.  The only woman of color to serve in a statewide elective executive office in Arizona is Sandra Kennedy (D), currently on the Arizona Corporation Commission.

State Legislatures

Women hold only 1,742 (23.6%) of the 7,382 state legislative seats in the U.S. – 1,055D, 670R, 17np/other.  347 (19.9%) are women of color: African American – 240 (235D, 3R, 2NP); Asian American/Pacific Islander – 35 (30D, 5R); Latina – 65 (59D, 6R); Native American – 7 (6D, 1R).  The first woman of color to serve in a state legislature was Cora Belle Reynolds Anderson (R) a Native American elected to the Michigan House in 1924. 

In  Arizona women hold 31 (34.4%) of the 90 legislative seat.  Six are women of color:  3 Latinas –Sen. Olivia Cajero Bedford(D), Rep. Catherine Miranda (D) and Rep. Anna Tovar (D); 1 African American – Sen. Leah Landrum Taylor (D); 1 Native American – Rep. Sally Gonzales (D); 1 Asian – Rep. Kimberly Yee (R).  Two serve in leadership positions:  Leah Landrum Taylor as assistant minority leader in the Senate and Anna Tovar as minority whip in the House.

Municipal Offices

Only eight of the mayors of the 100 largest U.S. cities are women.  Two are women of color, both African Americans – Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore MD and Jean Quan of Oakland CA.  A total of 10 have served as mayors of the 100 largest cities, 9 African Americans and one Latina. 

The only woman on the Phoenix City Council is Thelda Williams, an African American.  Regina Romero is one of three women on the Tucson City Council and the only woman of color.

Arizona Tribes

As of July, four (18.2%) of the 22 tribes are led by women: Chairwoman Sherry Cordova, Cocopah Tribe; Chairwoman Bernadine Jones, Havasupai Tribe; Chair-woman Louise Benson, Hualapai Tribe; President Diane Enos, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Comm.  Five women also serve as vice chairs/presidents.
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Compiled by the Arizona Women's Political Caucus from information provided by the Center for the American Woman and Politics (CAWP), Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University; National League of Cities; U.S. Conference of Mayors; League of Arizona Cities and Towns; AZ Commission of Indian Affairs.

For further information contact the Arizona Women's Political Caucus at 520-625-4579 or lhbarter@cox.net

9/2011
1st Edition