Data · Washington × US Politics

Women in US Politics in Washington

How women in us politics fare in Washington — state-adjusted pay gap, state ranking, and the national context that frames the local picture.

79.1%
Washington overall earnings ratio (women/men)
Census ACS S2001
#38
of 51 jurisdictions for pay equity
Derived from ACS state ratios
20.9%
Unadjusted pay gap in Washington
Census ACS
49.7%
Women in Washington’s legislature

The state-adjusted picture

Women in us politics nationally face the same structural conditions as women in every other field — but the overall wage environment in Washington modifies the baseline by -5.6% relative to the US average. A state where the overall pay gap is narrower tends to reflect narrower gaps within fields too, though field-specific dynamics dominate for specialized professions.

Washington elected its first woman US Senator in 1993.

National context

Women are 51% of US voters and have cast more votes than men in every presidential election since 1980 — but hold 28% of Congressional seats and have never been elected president. This page tracks the current numbers, the swing-state voter data, and the state-level trends.

Full national data Women in US Politics: Numbers, Trends, and Voter Data (2026)

National headline stats (us politics)

28.2%
Women in 119th US Congress (House + Senate, 2025-27)
12
US state governors who are women (as of April 2026)
33.4%
Women among state legislators (US average, 2026)
77th
US global ranking for women's political representation (IPU, April 2026)

Other fields in Washington

US Politics in other states

Related pages

Frequently asked

What is the pay gap for women in us politics in Washington?

Washington’s overall pay ratio is 79.1% — a 20.9% gap. The gap within us politics follows the national pattern modified by Washington’s overall wage environment. See the full national field data for in-field specifics.

How does Washington rank on pay equity?

Washington ranks #38 of 51 US jurisdictions on pay equity, per Census ACS state ratios.

How are women represented in Washington politics?

49.7% of Washington state legislators are women (CAWP 2024). 5 women from Washington serve in the 119th US Congress.

Where does the national us politics data come from?

Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), Rutgers; Inter-Parliamentary Union — Women in Parliament Rankings; OpenSecrets campaign finance data