New data shows that states that elect more moms of young children pass better laws.
report, which uncovered just how many legislators are moms with kids under 18. They found that of 7,383 state lawmakers nationwide, only 5.3 percent are mothers with kids under 18. By comparison, mothers with children under 18 make up 17.6 percent of the adult population, according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
That 5.3 percent mentioned earlier is an aggregated mean, spread across the 50 states. There are as many as 17 percent of legislators who are moms with young children in Oregon and as few as zero in Alabama. Oregon is an outlier. In every other state, the number of women with children in the legislature falls far below full representation.
Being a woman with a young child does not always translate to policy preferences, but it does highlight what Balint recognized when she started in the state senate: to make changes affecting the livelihoods of people, there must be an understanding of the need. Parents of young children are arguably more likely to share that unique perspective of the child care crisis—the need for paid time off to have a child or care for a sick family member without fear of losing a job.
Having women who are young mothers as policymakers “can raise the debate and conversation,” says Kelly Dittmar, an associate professor of political science at Rutgers Camden and director of research at the Center for American Women and Politics. Dittmar explains that ideology and political party can be a greater predictor of outcomes, but having more women in office has been correlated with shifts in agenda and discussion.