April 01, 2025

The countdown is on! In just two weeks, U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester will join us as the 2025 Honorary Senator Wynona Lipman Chair in Women’s Political Leadership at Rutgers University for “Citizen to Changemaker: Making Your Voice Matter.” This engaging conversation will explore the role race and gender plays in U.S. politics and how individuals can turn civic engagement into meaningful change. Senator Blunt Rochester will be joined by her sister, Marla Blunt-Carter, an associate professor of professional practice at the Rutgers School of Social Work.

Last November, Senator Blunt Rochester made history as Delaware’s first woman and first Black person elected to the U.S. Senate. She is also one of the two history-making Black women to serve in the U.S. Senate at the same time. 

This is a unique opportunity to hear from a historic leader in U.S. politics. Don’t wait. Register now to reserve your spot!

📅 Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025

⏰ Time: 7:00 PM

📍 Location: Rutgers Academic Building, East Wing, Room 2400

        College Avenue Campus, Rutgers-New Brunswick

The California State Legislature is nearing gender parity, according to our latest data. Last week, we released a new report, commissioned by Close the Gap California (CTG), looking at how California nearly doubled the number of women in its state legislature in under a decade and Close the Gap’s influence on those changes. The report combines quantitative analysis and qualitative interviews to assess CTG’s distinctive and direct candidate recruitment model. 

“For over a decade, we at CAWP have watched Close the Gap build their model and influence,” said report author and CAWP Director of Research Kelly Dittmar. “This project allowed us to leverage our research expertise for a thorough evaluation of the campaign’s impact on women’s political progress. We found that Close the Gap’s strategic and targeted recruitment model stands as one of its most effective practices—one that could be successfully applied and replicated elsewhere.”

"This report reveals the results of more than a decade of hard work from the Close the Gap team," said Close the Gap California Executive Director Susannah Delano. "Data from CAWP allows us to tell the story of our success while helping us chart a path to a future of political parity."

Read the full report, Close the Gap California: Origins and Impact 2013-2025, on the Close the Gap California website.

Last weekend, we hosted our annual Ready to Run® New Jersey training and the momentum is still going strong. Designed to equip women with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to lead, this nonpartisan program supports future candidates, campaign managers, and community change makers alike.

Over two days, participants engaged in hands-on sessions covering everything from launching a campaign to building a public narrative to raising campaign dollars. The weekend was elevated by powerful keynote addresses from Assemblymember Shama Haider and U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver, who brought both insight and inspiration to the room.

If you’re feeling inspired, we invite you to find your state’s Ready to Run® program or follow along with us to join the next New Jersey training in 2026.

Every year is an election year and 2025 is no different. New Jersey and Virginia are holding their regular statewide and state legislative elections this year, and we’re keeping track. Check out our newly launched 2025 Statewide & State Legislative Women Candidates page to see who’s running.

Coming Soon: 2025 Women in Municipal Office

We’re about to release our updated national snapshot of women serving in municipal offices, from city councils to mayoral seats in U.S. cities with populations over 10,000.

This dataset highlights where women are leading at the local level and where gaps remain, with state-by-state breakdowns, year-over-year shifts, and comparisons to state legislative representation.

Where will your state rank for women’s representation in local office in 2025?

Stay tuned to CAWP to find out!