California on track to have 50 women serve in Legislature

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A record 50 women are on track to serve in California's Legislature following the 2022 midterm elections.

According to the most recent updates from the California Secretary of State’s Office, women have already outstripped the current record total of 39 seats in the state Assembly and Senate and they are poised to take hold of 50 seats.

At the current pace, 42% of the 120 seats in both houses will be held by women when the new Legislature convenes on Dec. 5.

"We made a concerted effort to achieve gender parity," said state Sen. Nancy Skinner, (D-Berkeley), vice chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus. 

The caucus has been actively working toward this goal since 2016 by heavily recruiting women, donating to their campaigns, getting prominent endorsements and providing an infrastructure for them to move up the political ladder, Skinner told KTVU on Monday. 

During this election cycle, women competed in 65 of the 100 open Assembly and Senate races — also a record. 

The number of women seeking office and the success of women in California legislative elections this year, and in recent years, was no accident. 

"Today we celebrate and tomorrow we continue to push to ensure we reach parity, not only for us but for every young girl who is sitting back and watching these moments unfold, hoping to one day change the world," said Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus.

Skinner said the "outstanding performance" by women this year shows that California is well on its way to fulfilling the promise of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who rightly noted that ‘women belong in all places where decisions are being made.'"