HomeLearning Center‘Better governance for everyone’: More women than ever in Delaware’s General Assembly

‘Better governance for everyone’: More women than ever in Delaware’s General Assembly

When the Delaware General Assembly convenes on Jan. 10 for the first time after November’s general election, more women than ever will be seated.

The historic roster — 24 of the 62 members (39%) — represents a significant jump over the previous session, which had 19 women.

The number of women in Dover has grown steadily over the last two decades. In 2000, the Legislature had 15 women.

In the House, 16 of 41 members are now women. In the Senate, eight of 15 members are women.

“We’re making progress and we’re getting closer,” said Democrat Tizzy Lockman, the Senate majority whip from Wilmington.  “We still don’t have that parity with the population that we represent, so I would say we can certainly go further but it’s exciting.”

Delaware’s population is 51% female.

Lockman says the state now has “women’s perspectives more adequately represented in the work that we do. And I think it’s reflective that the people of Delaware and in our communities trust that women are going to obviously do just as good of a job. And so that does mean better governance for everyone.”

WHYY

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