Buried Treasure in North Carolina Administration

Data tells the story of women in NC politics

Photo courtesy of the author with Rep. Sydney Batch during her campaign in 2018

One of the buried treasures in our North Carolina State government is the Department of Administration’s annual report on the Status of Women. Each year they choose a different category on which to put a laser focus. The reports compare North Carolina’s data with that of all fifty states. The reports are thorough and full of all sorts of data that should be guiding the state’s policy within the legislature. This year’s report The Status of Women: Political Participation offers a roadmap for increasing women’s engagement in the political process, from running for office to registering to vote. North Carolina earned a D on women’s engagement when compared to other states, not something to be proud of! Let’s take a look at what is going on in the Tarheel State and see what recommendations are made.

The report is divided into three categories: voter registration and turnout, women in elected office, and institutional resources to support women in the political process. Finally, the report has a long list of recommendations for increasing the number of women engaged in the political process.