Despite an uptick in the number of female candidates running for seats in the Oklahoma legislature this year, women will hold fewer seats in 2017.
There will be 19 women among 149 elected representatives in Oklahoma’s legislature when it reconvenes in 2017, compared to 22 in 2016, Oklahoma Watch reports.
There were 77 candidates for the House and Senate and 56 reached the general election, according to Oklahoma Watch, but running against an incumbent or being a Democrat in a predominantly red state proved to be obstacles most could not overcome.
Despite the fact that there will be fewer women legislators, four women will serve in leadership positions, two House Republicans and two Senate Republicans. Democrats will select and announce their leadership positions within the next few weeks.
Female lawmakers intend to form a women’s caucus and work on issues such as domestic violence, equal pay, substance abuse and women’s incarceration during Oklahoma’s next legislative session, Oklahoma Watch reports.
According to a 2012 study by American University’s Women & Politics Institute School of Public Affairs, women are less likely to run for public office than men.