How Many of Your State’s Lawmakers Are Women? If You Live in the Southeast, It Could Be Just 1 in 5 Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublicaJanuary 11, 2024 A record number of women were elected to statehouses last year. But in the Southeast, where some legislatures are more than 80% male, representation is lagging as lawmakers pass bills that most impact women, like near-total abortion bans.