Reference page
Women in U.S. civic life: 2024 and 2026 statistics.
Key figures on voter participation and representation in public office, gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
Last updated September 23, 2026. Each statistic retains the date of its underlying source.
The numbers
Participation and representation are related, but they are not the same thing.
Voting shows who takes part in an election. Representation shows who holds power after it. Together, these figures offer a practical snapshot of women’s role in American civic life, with each number linked to the source that reported it.
73.6%
of the citizen voting-age population was registered to vote in the 2024 presidential election.
That equals about 174 million people. Registration is an important first measure of who has a formal path into the electorate.
65.3%
of the citizen voting-age population voted in the 2024 presidential election.
The Census Bureau reported roughly 154 million voters, based on its Current Population Survey voting and registration data.
66.9%
of women voted in 2024, compared with 63.7% of men.
The 3.2 percentage-point difference shows women turning out at a higher rate in the Census Bureau’s national survey.
150
women served in the U.S. Congress in 2026.
That total included 124 women in the U.S. House and 26 women in the U.S. Senate.
Source: Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, February 13, 2026
5.5%
of all state legislators identify as Black women.
Black women accounted for 16.3% of all women serving in state legislatures in Rutgers’ September 2026 update.
Source: Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, September 2026
14
women were serving as U.S. governors in 2026.
That matches the record number of women serving as governors at the same time, first reached briefly in 2025.
Source: Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, September 2026
3.0%
of all state legislators identify as Latina.
Latinas accounted for 8.8% of all women serving in state legislatures in Rutgers’ September 2026 update.
Source: Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University, September 2026
30 points
separated voting rates for people with advanced degrees and high school graduates in 2024.
The Census Bureau reported an 82.5% voting rate among people with advanced degrees and 52.5% among high school graduates.
Method and sources
How to read this page.
The voting figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey data for the November 2024 presidential election. Representation figures come from Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics and describe the current 2026 offices and state-legislature data stated in each source.
Statistics on this page are presented as reported by their original source. They are not estimates created by Emiliana Guereca or her team.
- U.S. Census Bureau: 2024 Presidential Election Voting and Registration Tables Now Available (April 30, 2025)
- Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University: CAWP History: Over 50 Years of Quality, Timely Research on Women in U.S. Politics (February 13, 2026)
- Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University: State Legislature (September 2026)
- Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University: Governor (September 2026)
Cite this page
Women in U.S. Civic Life: 2024 and 2026 Statistics.
Emiliana Guereca, updated September 23, 2026. Use the specific statistic link above and cite the original source alongside this page when possible.
https://emilianaguereca.com/women-civic-life-statistics
Explore Emiliana’s speaking →