Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Research and Policy Brief

Volume

49

Publisher

Utah Women & Leadership Project

Publication Date

2-16-2023

First Page

1

Last Page

6

Abstract

Although Utah has a rich heritage of women’s involvement in voting, advocacy, and various types of political participation, for decades Utah has lagged behind most states in terms of women running for and serving in elected political roles. To track progress, the Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) began reporting on the status of women in Utah politics in 2014, with updates in 2017, 2021, 2022, and now 2023. Although strides have been made in increasing the number of women serving in political roles in recent years, there is still work to be done. Research continues to confirm that when both men and women serve together in communities, counties, and states, all residents are better served and are more likely to thrive.1 Overall, while Utah women have continuously gained elected seats since 2014, Utah still ranks last in WalletHub’s “Best & Worst States for Women’s Equality”2 (with four of 17 key indicators being focused on political empowerment) and 46th of 50 states on the Represent Women’s “Gender Parity Index,”3 which measures women’s political representation.

This report updates the research and policy brief titled “The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2022 Update” and provides both Utah and national data for the following seven areas: Congress, statewide executive offices, state legislatures, counties, mayors, city councils, and boards of education. The brief concludes with a summary of findings and a brief discussion of why more women do not run for public office.

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