Legislators and politicians: Iowa's women lawmakers

Abstract

<p>Seventy-seven women have served in the Iowa General Assembly since the election of the first woman in 1928. Iowa's women legislators represent a broad range of political beliefs, wealth, education, and personal backgrounds. The diversity among them extends to their political styles and the issues they supported and opposed.;Before their candidacies these lawmakers generally lived traditional women's lives and participated in their communities' activities and organizations. They often became candidates to fill their parties' tickets but some ran because they believed that they had specific contributions to make to the formulation of state policy.;Through the issues they raised, the bills they sponsored, and the ways that they voted, Iowa women legislators have influenced almost every aspect of state policy. Their contributions to state policies rest primarily in the perspectives that they added to it. They added new dimensions to the debates and expanded the issues considered as policies were formulated.</p>