The New Hampshire state senate is the first state-level legislature in the United States to have a female majority. Women will hold thirteen of the twenty-four (54%) state senate seats in the upcoming session.
New Hampshire State Senate President Sylvia Larsen told NPR that “New Hampshire has a long tradition of participation by women in the state legislature. In our last session we did have 10 women in the Senate of 24 and 140 women in the New Hampshire House…I think there is a greater acceptance of women as leaders since I’ve been in office.”
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) also made history and is the first woman to be elected to the United States Senate from New Hampshire. Shaheen defeated John Sununu, a Republican incumbent, by 15 points.
