Record 3,824 Women Running for State Legislative Seats Across 46 States
A record number of 3,824 women are running for state legislative seats across 46 states this year, marking an increase from the previous record of 3,621 in 2022. Women now constitute 35.5% of all state legislative candidates, with over two-thirds…
Salt Lake City, UT, October 24, 2026 —
A record 3,824 women are running for state legislative seats across 46 states this year, exceeding the previous record of 3,621 women candidates set in 2022. The new total is 203 higher than the earlier record.
Women account for 35.5% of all candidates for state legislative seats, according to the figures provided. More than two-thirds of the women candidates identify as Democrats. The summary does not provide an exact party count or a breakdown of candidates by state.
The figures describe candidates running for office, not election results. They do not indicate how many women will win seats or how the overall composition of state legislatures may change. No names of candidates, state-level totals, or details about how the figures were compiled were provided.
The record compares the current candidate count with the previous high recorded in 2022. While the total number and share of women candidates are specified, the information provided does not give comparable totals for other years or a breakdown by party beyond noting that more than two-thirds identify as Democrats.
Story summarized from the original created by Kevin Hardy on utahnewsdispatch.com, see more information here.
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