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Women hold the exact same share of seats at every level of government as they did a year ago, according to the RepresentWomen 2026 Gender Parity Index. Despite reaching new milestones as elected leaders and seeing record numbers of candidates and campaign funding, the national parity score has seen little movement.
The 2026 Index shows the United States has a score of 28.2, which is a C grade and represents a slight increase from the 27.7 score recorded in 2025. RepresentWomen Founder and Executive Director Cynthia Richie Terrell stated that the lack of movement despite rising candidate numbers and funding is due to a structural ceiling within the election system.
State-level data shows significant variation in progress toward parity. New Hampshire, Maine, and Oregon are the only three states to receive an A grade. In contrast, 23 states earn a D grade, with Idaho ranking last among the 50 states. The report notes that Washington has been near parity every year since 2013, suggesting proximity does not guarantee progress without structural reform.
Progress toward gender parity has also been uneven by political party. While women are approaching parity within the Democratic Party, representation for Republican women has not kept pace despite investment in recruitment. In Congress, 43% of Democrats are women, compared to 15% of Republicans.
The report highlights that the South has consistently posted the lowest average parity score of any U.S. region and is the only region that has never reached an average score of 25. RepresentWomen suggests that systemic changes, such as ranked choice voting, may help break through structural ceilings. In cities that use ranked choice voting, women hold 55% of city council seats, which is nearly double the national rate.
