SACRAMENTO – California Legislative Women’s Caucus (LWC) Outgoing Chair Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), Chair-Elect Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters), and Vice Chair-Elect Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) released the following statement regarding the historic number of women elected to the California State Legislature:
“This November election is on track to achieve a significant milestone in women’s representation in the California Legislature. For the first time, California's State Senate will reach gender parity with a minimum of 21 women senators in the 40 member body, and, when all votes are counted, that number has the potential to increase to 22,” said outgoing LWC Chair State Senator Nancy Skinner.
“Women will also have their representation boosted in the California Assembly,” said incoming LWC Chair and Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, “we will hold at least 38 Assembly seats, a significant increase from previous years.”
Overall the State Legislature will achieve a record number of women members, with the potential for full gender parity in both houses, a goal that the Legislative Women’s Caucus (LWC) has been actively working toward over the past decade. This overwhelming success is a testament to the work of the LWC, as well as organizations across the state, that have been dedicated to increasing the number of women in elected office and actively recruiting and supporting female candidates. Legislative Women’s Caucus members have worked tirelessly to encourage, mentor, and support women of diverse backgrounds to run for office.
“Today we celebrate this significant victory for California women,” said incoming Chair Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, “Tomorrow we continue to push so that every young girl who is sitting back and watching these moments unfold, will see one day she too can change the world.”
According to recent updates from the California Secretary of State’s Office, the number of women winning legislative seats have already outstripped the current record total of 50 women members in the state Assembly and Senate. At the current pace, 49% of the seats in both houses, with at minimum 59 seats to be held by women when California’s Legislature convenes for its new legislative session on December 2. During this election cycle, women competed in 63 of the 100 open Assembly and Senate races.
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