When new state lawmakers are sworn in on Monday, California’s legislature will hit a historic milestone: 59 of its 120 members will be women.
That means women will comprise 49% of the state’s legislature, or exactly one seat shy of gender parity. More than half (34) of the female legislators represent parts of Southern California, and nearly a quarter come from Orange County.
None of this is an accident.
“We set a course for gender parity in the legislature by 2028. To get to 49% two cycles ahead of time is a testament to our strategic efforts and the greater movement for more equitable political representation,” said Susannah Delano, executive director of Close the Gap California, a nonprofit that recruits progressive women to run for the state legislature.
Orange County reached gender parity in the legislature this session, with women making up exactly half of the 16 lawmakers serving the county.
Though women have been elected to the state legislature since 2018, Orange County didn’t send a women to Sacramento until 1978, when Marian Bergeson, a Republican, won a seat in the Assembly. Since then, 17 women have represented Orange County in the legislature, said Alex Vassar, a legislative historian with the California State Library.
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, first elected in 2012, said her experience living as a woman has guided her at the decision-making table.
“I’ve always looked through the lens of how things are going to impact women,” she said. “And I think I’ve always been looking through the lens of average working families, what are the impacts for them … child care, and of course, cost of groceries and gas.”
The longtime Orange County lawmaker said she was often the only woman in the room, starting when she served on the Fullerton City Council.
“And then, when I headed to the state, at that point, I believe there were 20 women (in the legislature), but only about five Latino women. So it was predominantly very male-dominated,” said Quirk-Silva. “Over the last 12 years, we’ve definitely seen that change.”
Quirk-Silva said issues that affect women on a larger scale, such as reproductive rights and childcare, need women’s voices at the table.
“I think the biggest issue we’re going to hear a lot about, and we have heard previously, but have not seen the impact we need, is on childcare,” she said. “I’m a first-time grandma. And I’m seeing the choices (women) have, and how they have to juggle … when a child gets sick and having to stay home.
“I think with the amount of women (legislators) we have, we’re going to see more work in that space.”
Assemblymember Laurie Davies also stressed the importance of ensuring women’s voices are heard at the legislative level.
Davies, a Laguna Niguel Republican who first was elected in 2020, has introduced legislation aimed primarily at women, including protecting victims of domestic violence and ensuring coverage for medical treatment connected to perimenopause and menopause. She’s also backed efforts to expand eligibility for subsidized childcare.
“This election, California voters sent a clear message that more balance and bipartisanship is needed from their legislators,” Davies said. “Women from diverse backgrounds were elected because of their qualifications and commitment to ensure that our lived experiences will shape how our state creates a path forward on issues like healthcare access, equal pay for equal work, and creating safe vibrant communities.”
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Anecdotally, Delano said the presence of women in decision-making rooms often leads to different outcomes.
“I definitely hear that reflected back at me from members of the legislature that I’ve known for a while,” she said.
Delano recalled a floor discussion from several years ago around allowing campaign funds to cover childcare expenses. While the discussion initially was driven by male legislators opposed to the idea, Delano said when women lawmakers spoke up about their experiences, the trajectory of the conversation “shifted.”
“There’s definitely some additive aspects to having more women in the room in terms of policy priorities,” she said.
But progress is “never guaranteed,” Delano said. While California is on track to have a majority of women in the Senate, the state could see one fewer woman in the legislature depending on who voters elect to the Senate seat vacated in November by Sen. Janet Nguyen, R-Huntington Beach, who is expected to be sworn in as a county supervisor next week.
“It’s a tough seat. We’ve been working over a year to identify someone,” Delano said. “Special elections are always hard with turnout, but there’s one woman in particular that we’re excited about.”
And with two Orange County senators — Quirk-Silva and Sen. Tom Umberg, D-Santa Ana — terming out in two years, Orange County is “in the driver’s seat for women’s representation,” she said.
“Close the Gap has been active in those districts for over a year,” said Delano. “What Orange County voters decide will continue to have a big impact on women’s representation and the priorities that those who are elected bring to Sacramento.”
New lawmakers will be sworn in on Monday, Dec. 2.