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Today’s number: 11 Illinois women in 200 years

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Illinois

An important aspect of these women’s marches – something that crosses party lines – is the push to get more women into elected office.

Illinois has a lousy record. Only nine women, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, have held Illinois statewide elected office since Illinois became a state in 1818. I’ll add to that the two females elected to the U.S. Senate.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 2:19 am

Comments

That number is a bit misleading since women in Illinois (and nationwide) only got the full right to vote 98 years ago. Don’t underestimate our nation’s deep-seated history of sexism (face palm).

Comment by Concerned Dem Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 6:55 am
Since, abysmally, there are no women running for governor, it will interesting to see how the push to elect more women can energize the campaigns of Rotering, Fairley and Harold.

Comment by DarkHorse Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 7:35 am
Jeanne Ives can’t get no respect

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 8:12 am
Republican women are still women. Remember how MJM and ILDEM supported a felonious Blagojevich over Topinka.

I voted for many women candidates, and will vote for the only gubernatorial one this time as well.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 8:33 am
How does that compare with other states?

Comment by Soccermom Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 8:35 am
The 200-year measure is pointless. The Bears didn’t win any Super Bowls in the 19th Century, either.

The fact is, Netsch was the first in 1991.

Here’s the site referenced. Illinois ranks sixth in proportion of women in the the state legislature.

http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/state-by-state

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 8:57 am
We would probably have our first female Governor if it weren’t for our while-male speaker of the house. There’s a thought, how about starting with electing our first female Speaker of the House?

Comment by Ahoy! Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:07 am
All term limited elected governments have seen an increase in ethical, gender, and career diversities.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:10 am
–All term limited elected governments have seen an increase in ethical, gender, and career diversities.–

VMan, Illinois is second to none when it comes to “diversity” in ethics. Had all kinds.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:13 am
Now imagine how much better it would be if Illinois was term limited - or, do you really think what we’ ve seen is good enough?

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:18 am
VMAn, I meant that Illinois has had plenty of “diversity” on ethics, from good to bad.

I rank term limits up there with monorails as far as catalysts for greater good.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:24 am
==imagine how much better it would be if Illinois was term limited==

Sadly, I was all for term limits until Rauner showed us what an inexperienced politician can do to a state in a very short amount of time. Now the idea scares the crud out of me.

Comment by HangingOn Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:26 am
So Lynn Sweet will be voting for Jeanne Ives because sexism matters in elections.

Comment by woman2woman Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:31 am
It must start local. We need women to run in city councils, county boards, etc. The democratic apparatus must also actively support women, even if that means telling male candidates to step aside. The Democratic Party cannot be the party for women, if they’re not supporting women candidates.

Comment by Politix Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:41 am
We can elect Ives and Harold and boost that number to 13.

Comment by Dave W Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:43 am
Republicans need to step up. Both parties need to attract Asian American women.

Comment by City Zen Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 9:58 am
Asking honestly. If more women are elected…how does that change our politics?

Comment by Saluki Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 10:17 am
Yet, the party of “Women” can field five candidates for governor, and not a single woman among them.

Comment by Soapbox Derby Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 10:21 am
==Asking honestly. If more women are elected…how does that change our politics?==

I don’t see anyone claiming that it would. I sure don’t. When I look at my 8-member city council, though, I see only one woman, and zero people of color. That’s not representative of my community.

Comment by yinn Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 11:19 am
==If more women are elected, how does that change our politics?==
Well, more misogynists stay home and don’t vote. That’s a win.

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 11:28 am
==if Illinois was term limited==

Illinois has term limits. They are called elections. Term limits are the brain child of whiners who aren’t happy because they can’t get what they want at the ballot box.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 12:00 pm
We need more women in statewide office! Except if they’re Republican. We only support *real* women here.

Comment by JB13 Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 12:03 pm
==The 200-year measure is pointless. The Bears didn’t win any Super Bowls in the 19th Century, either.==

Following thousands of years of male test tube babies, women were finally established in 1920.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 1:45 pm
==The 200-year measure is pointless. The Bears didn’t win any Super Bowls in the 19th Century, either.==

Following thousands of years of male test tube babies, women were finally established in 1920.–

Is that what you thought I said? Get all outraged then. I was just pointing out that the 200-year measure was pointless as women could not legally hold office for much of that time.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 1:57 pm
Why would you think I am outraged, or that I misunderstood what you were pointing out?

My point, which I flatter myself as having made in decent humor, is that I disagree that measures of discrimination that don’t agree to set a discrimination-dependent baseline are pointless.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 5:08 pm
We have had our share of women candidates from both parties. Some less savory than others. But we have had lots of great women leaders involved in the governing process since I can remembers 1975-present.

Comment by theCardinal Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 5:12 pm
wordslinger. Sorry for coming to the party late, but Netsch wasn’t the first woman elected statewide. It was actually Fae Searcy, who was elected in 1956 as clerk of the Supreme Court–a statewide position. She won again in 1962 statewide, but then lost in the Republican primary in 1968.

Comment by Steve Rogers Monday, Jan 22, 18 @ 5:36 pm