On August 31, Multistate, a government relations firm, published research put together by senior associate Sandy Dornsife on the demographic changes that have occurred over time in state legislatures.  

Perhaps the biggest change is in the number of women who hold state legislative seats, which make up 33.6% of the total, based on 2024 data – a 40% increase over the last decade. According to the demographic research explored by Multistate,  Nevada stands out with women holding 62% of its legislative seats. Women hold around half of legislative positions (45% to 54%) in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington.

Dornsife writes that past studies have shown that legislatures with higher female representation enact and introduce more legislation that when the percentage of women is lower. “Women’s representation also influences the types of bills sponsored and voting patterns,” she writes.

Racial demographics have also been changing, with this trend measured over a longer period.  Half a century ago, 97% of legislators identified themselves as white. Now, based on an analysis that occurred in 2023-2024 by a Duke University professor, 80% do.  On average. Black legislators make up 11% of the total, with Hispanic legislators at 5.5%. 

Dornsife makes the point that state representation often differs based on demographics in the state itself.  In Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina, about a quarter of legislators are Black, and in Maryland about a third are. 

According to the article, about a third of New Mexico’s legislators are identified as Latino, which is the highest percentage in the country, while the Hawaii legislature is 57% made up of individuals “of Asian-Pacific Islander descent.” 

Citing the Duke analysis, the Multistate article notes that about 40% of legislators have a business background, over 20% work in government and 13% are lawyers. “In contrast, legislators with working-class backgrounds, defined as manual labor, service industry, or clerical jobs, make up less than 2% of state legislatures,” the article explains.

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