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President-elect Trump is now a convicted felon; At least 10 dead and whole neighborhoods destroyed in LA firestorms; Local concerns rise over Ohio's hydrogen project; New MI legislator rings in the new year with the pending new law; Ohio River Basin would get federal protection under the new legislation.

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House lawmakers take aim at the International Criminal Court, former President Jimmy Carter is laid to rest in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, and another fight looms over the Affordable Care Act.

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"Drill, baby, drill" is a tough sell for oil and gas companies in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, rising sea levels create struggles for Washington's coastal communities, and more folks than ever are taking advantage of America's great outdoors.

Report: UT ranks low for number of women as legislators

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Tuesday, December 10, 2024   

More than 2,400 women will serve in state legislatures in 2025, a record, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

Utah ranks in the bottom 10 states in the nation for legislative representation by women, at about 27%.

Jean Sinzdak, associate director of the center, said women bring their diverse and distinct life experiences to the policymaking table, adding it is always positive when governing bodies look more like the communities they represent.

"A big piece of this is just making sure that there is diversity and representation in all kinds of ways," Sinzdak emphasized. "Including by gender, but also by life experience, career, socioeconomic status and so on."

Sinzdak argued it is a positive when a variety of people serve in state legislatures. She noted while trends are moving in the right direction, there is more to be done. Nationally, more than seven in 10 elected offices are still held by men.

Utah has never elected a woman to serve as governor. The Beehive State was led by Olene Walker when former Gov. Mike Leavitt was nominated to serve as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Utah has also had two female lieutenant governors.

Sinzdak pointed out research shows women are more likely to build consensus among lawmakers and work across the aisle. But she acknowledged caregiving responsibilities often prevent women from running, along with the double standard they face from the public.

"Voters want them to be likeable as well as tough," Sinzdak observed. "Whereas for a lot of male candidates, they don't necessarily need to be likable; they just need to be seen as being able to do the job."

Sinzdak contended one of the barriers any newcomer running for political office faces is "the power of incumbency," but she explained when women run for office, they often win, which she stressed is good for democracy.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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