Next year, women will hold less than 30% of legislative seats in North Carolina. A recent study on state politics highlights how women continue to be underrepresented in elected offices across all levels in the state.
Chris Cooper, a political scientist from Western Carolina University, examines these statistics in his book, Anatomy of a Purple State: A North Carolina Politics Primer. He discussed his findings on the WUNC Politics Podcast, emphasizing how little progress has been made in changing this gender imbalance.
In 2025, men will account for about 70% of lawmakers in the state—a number that hasn’t shifted significantly over the years. Cooper explained, “If men were a single voting bloc, they’d have supermajority control in the North Carolina General Assembly right now.”
This imbalance extends beyond the legislature. In statewide offices, Congress, and local government bodies like county commissions, the representation of women remains low. For example, only two out of the ten Council of State positions will be held by women after this year’s election.
Similarly, the top leadership roles in the state legislature will mostly go to men. Among Republicans, only two women, Sen. Amy Galey and Rep. Heather Rhyne, secured leadership positions.
On the Democratic side, the highest-ranking woman is Cynthia Ball, the deputy House Democratic leader. Historically, neither party has promoted a woman to the role of House Speaker or Senate Leader.
North Carolina’s representation of women lags behind the national average. States like New Mexico and Nevada have achieved majority-female legislatures.
Cooper notes that such states often see noticeable differences in governance. “You see different kinds of policies, and the institutions function slightly differently. Women, on average, spend more time on constituency service, which sometimes leads to more satisfied constituents,” he said.
The youngest woman in the North Carolina legislature, Rep. Lindsey Prather, is 36 years old. She believes that better efforts in candidate recruitment are essential for closing the gender gap.
“We need to cast a wider net and focus on helping people build the skills they need. If we’re intentional about making space for young people and women, we’ll see better representation,” Prather stated.
Prather has faced challenges as a woman in the legislature. “I’ve often been mistaken for staff instead of the legislator I am. Some colleagues have spoken down to me, whether intentionally or not. As a woman in the South, these experiences aren’t new, but they’re amplified in this environment,” she shared.
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