Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
USA Local Elective Office until 2008
Also see USA Local Leaders and United States of America Ministers
Superintendent
of Public Instruction
1893-1894
Laura J. Eisenhuth (D-I), North
Dakota
Eisenhuth was the first woman in the nation to be elected statewide.
1895-96
Emma B. Bates (R), North
Dakota
1895-98
Estelle Reel (R), Wyoming
1899-1905
Helen
Grenfell, Colorado
1899-1903
Permeal French (D), Idaho
1903-07
Mae L. Scott (R), Idaho
1905-09;
1921-23 and 1927-31 Katherine L. Craig (R), Colorado
1907-11
S. Belle Chamberlain (R), Idaho
1909-11
Katherine M. Cook, Colorado
1911-13
Helen M. Wixson, Colorado
1911-1915
Grace M. Shepherd (R), Idaho
1911-1914
Rose A. Bird Maley (D), Wyoming
1913-1921;
1923-1927 Mary C. C. Bradford, Colorado
1913-1928
Josephine
C. Preston (NP), Washington
1915-1918
Edith K.O. Clark (R), Wyoming
1915-1917
Bernice McCoy (R), Idaho
1917-1923
Ethel E. Redfield (R), Idaho
1917-1932
May
Trumper (R), Montana
1919-1922
Elizabeth
Wooster (R), Kansas
1919-1926
Minnie J. Nielson (R), North
Dakota
1919-1934
Katharine A. Morton (R), Wyoming
1921-1923
Elsie Toles (R), Arizona
1923-1927
Elizabeth Russum (R), Idaho
1923-1926
May
E. Francis (R),
Iowa
1923-1926
Isabel Eckles (D), New Mexico
1927-1932
Bertha R. Palmer (R), North
Dakota
1927-1929
Mabelle M. Lyman (R), Idaho
1927-1938
Agnes Samuelson, Iowa
1929-1933
Myrtle R. Davis (R), Idaho
1931-1947
Inez Johnson Lewis (D), Colorado
1931-1934;
1943-1946 Georgia L. Lusk (D), New Mexico
1933-1948
Elizabeth Ireland (R), Montana
1937-1951
Mildred
Bray (D), Nevada
Bray was initially appointed to fill a vacancy and was subsequently elected.
1939-1946
Esther L. Anderson (R), Wyoming
1939-1954
Jessie M. Parker, Iowa
1939-1942
Grace J. Corrigan (D), New Mexico
1941-1956
Pearl A. Wanamaker (NP), Washington
1947-1954
Edna B. Stolt (R), Wyoming
1947-1950
Nettie S. Freed (R), Colorado
1949-1956
Mary M. Condon (D), Montana
1955-1962
Velma Linford (D), Wyoming
1957-1968
Harriet Miller (D), Montana
Miller
was a Republican; she switched parties in 1964.
1965-1969
Sarah Folsom (R), Arizona
Folsom died while serving in office in 1969.
1969-1976
Dolores Colburg (D), Montana
1973-1981
Barbara S. Thompson (NP), Wisconsin
1975-1986
Carolyn Warner (D), Arizona
1977-1980
Georgia Ruth Rice (D), Montana
1979-1991
Lynn Simons (D), Wyoming
1984-1987
Alice McDonald (D), Kentucky
1987-1995
C. Diane Bishop (D), Arizona
1989-1997
Judith Billings (NP), Washington
1990-1999
Norma Paulus (NP), Oregon
1991-? Sandy Garrett (D), Oklahoma
1991-1995
Diana
J. Ohman (R), Wyoming
Secretary
of State in 1995-99.
1993-? Suellen K. Reed (R), Indiana
1995-2003
Delaine Eastin (NP – non partisan?), California
1995-2003
Judy Catchpole (R), Wyoming
1995-1999
Anne C. Fox (R), Idaho
1997-?Theresa Bergeson (NP), Washington
1999-2006 Marilyn Howard (D), Idaho
2001-? Linda McCulloch (D), Montana
2001-05
Elizabeth Burmaster (NP), Wisconsin
2003-? Susan Castillo (NP), Oregon
1926-1932
Grace B. Urbahns (R), Indiana
Urbahns was initially appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her
husband; she was subsequently elected.
1929-1932
Berta E. Baker (R), North Dakota
State Auditor in 1933-1956.
1930-1933
Emma Guy Cromwell (D), Kentucky
1933-1945
Myrtle P. Enking (D), Idaho
1945-1947
Hazel Dean (R), South
Dakota
Dean
was appointed to fill a vacancy caused by
death.
1945-1947;
1955-1959 Ruth G. Moon (D), Idaho
Moon died while serving in office in 1959. Marjorie Ruth Moon is her daughter.
1947-1952
Lela D. Painter (R), Idaho
Painter died while in office in 1952.
1949-1952
Alta E. Fisher (R), Montana
1951-1954
Sibyl Pool (D), Alabama
1944-50
Secretary of State.
1951-1954;1967-1970
Minnie A. Mitchell (R), Wyoming
State Auditor in 1955-1966.
1952-1955
Margaret Gilbert (R),
Idaho
Gilbert was initially appointed to fill a vacancy caused by death; she was
subsequently elected.
1952-1955
Pearl Frances Runyon (D), Kentucky
1954-1956;
1961-1964 Edna J. Hinman (R), Montana
1957-1959
Vera G. Davis (R), Delaware
1957-1958;
1961-1968 Dena A. Smith (R), Wisconsin
Smith
was initially appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband.
She was subsequently elected in 1960. Smith died while serving in office.
1958-1959
Bertha
I. Hill (R), Nebraska
Hill was appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her husband.
1959-1966
Annabelle Smith Everett (D), Delaware
1959-1962
and 1967-1974 Agnes Baggett (D), Alabama
State Auditor 1955-1958
1960-1963;
1968-1971 Thelma L. Stovall (D), Kentucky
1960-1964;
1968-1972
Evelyn
E. Gandy (D), Mississippi
Commissioner of Insurance in 1972-1976 and Lt. Governor in Lt. Governor.
1961-1964;
1969-1976 Grace McCalmont (D), Pennsylvania
Auditor General in 1965-1968.
1963-1986
Marjorie Ruth Moon (D), Idaho
1963-1967
Mary Texas Hurt Garner (D), Alabama
Secretary of State 1955-1958 and State Auditor in 1959-1962.
1963-1980
Nancy Johnson Hall (D), Arkansas
Secretary of State in 1961-62.
1967-1974
Ivy
Baker Priest (R),
California
1967-1970
Virginia Blue (R), Colorado
1968-1987
Mary Evelyn Parker (D),
Louisiana
Parker
retired in January 1987.
1968-1969
Madelyn Davidson (D), Vermont
Davidson was appointed to fill a vacancy.
1969-1972
Bernice Asbridge (R), North Dakota
1970-1971
Julia Swearingen (R), Colorado
Appointed to succeed state treasurer Virginia Blue who died in office.
1971-1972
Emily Womach (D), Delaware
1971-1982
Gertrude
W. Donahey (D),
Ohio
1973-1976
Mary D. Jornlin (R), Delaware
1973-1976
Hollis G. Connors (R), Montana
1975-1978
Melba Till Allen (D), Alabama
1975-1977
Stella B. Hackel (D), Vermont
1975-1990
Joan Finney (D), Kanasas
Governor in 1991-1995. Finney was the
first woman to defeat an incumbent governor.
1976-1979;
1984-1987 and 1992-1996 Frances Jones Mills (D), Kentucky
1979-1986
Annie Laurie Gunter (D), Alabama
1979-1982
Shirley Wittler (R), Wyoming
1981-2003
Jimmie Lou Fisher (D), Arkansas
1981-1986
Kay
A. Orr (R),
Nebraska
Governor 1987-1991. Orr was the first
Republican woman to be elected governor in any state and the first woman to
run against another woman for a gubernatorial post.
1983-1999
Janet C. Rzewnicki (R), Delaware
1983-1994
Mary
Ellen Withrow (D), Ohio
Withrow was appointed U.S. Treasurer in March 1994.
1983-1987
Patty D. Cafferata (R), Nevada
1983-1990
Ann Richards (D), Texas
Governor 1991-1995.
1987-1995
Gail S. Schoettler (D), Colorado
1987-1989
Elizabeth Whitney (D), California
Appointed
to fill a vacancy.
1987-1995
Mary L. Landrieu (D), Louisiana
Landrieu simultaneously won a special election to complete an unexpired term
and a regular election.. Since 1997
U.S. Senator.
1987-1999
Lydia Justice Edwards (R), Idaho
1987-1995
Marjorie O'Laughlin (R), Indiana
1989-1997
Catherine Baker Knoll (D), Pennsylvania
Since 2003
Lieutenant Governor.
1991-1995
Kathleen Brown (D), California
1991-1995
Cathy S. Zeuske (R), Wisconsin
1991-1999
Sally Thompson (D), Kanasas
1991-1993
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R), Texas
U.S. Senator
since 1993. Hutchison
initially won a special election to fill an unexpired term;
she was subsequently re-elected.
1991-1995
Dawn E. Rockey (D), Nebraska
1991-1995
Claudette Henry (R), Oklahoma
1993-2004 Kathi Gilmore (D), North Dakota
1993-1996
Martha
Whitehead (D), Texas
Whitehead was initially appointed to fill a vacancy.
1993-1999
Nancy J. Mayer (R), Rhode
Island
1995-2003
Lucy Baxley (D), Alabama
1995-2007
Judy Baar Topinka (R), Illinois
Candidate for Governor in 2006.
1995-1999
Joyce Brinkman (R), Indiana
1996-? Susan F. Dearey, Virginia
An appointive office in the state.
1997-? Barbara H. Hafer (R), Pennsylvania
Auditor General in 1989-1997.
1999-? Denise Nappier (D), Connecticut
1999-2003
Shannon O'Brien (D), Massachusettes
1999-2003
Carol Johnson (DFL), Minnesota
DFL indicates Democratic Farmer Labor, which is the name of the Democratic
party in Minnesota.
1999-2007
Cynthia Lummis (R), Wyoming
2001-2003
Carol Springer (R), Arizona
State Auditor in 1999-2001.
2001-05
Nancy Farmer (D), Missouri
2001-04 Lorelee Byrd (R), Nebraska
2003-? Kay Ivey (R), Alabama
2003-? Lynn Jenkins (R), Kanasas
2004-08 Sarah Steelman
(R),
Missouri
Ran in the Republican Governor Primary in 2008
2004-? Kelly Schmidt, (R) North Dakota
2005-07 State Treasurer Jennette Bradley, Ohio
She is Lt. Governor and Director of Commerce 2003-05.
2007-? Martha Shoffner (D), Arkansas
2007-? Cary Kennedy (D), Colorado
2007-? Alex Sink (D), Florida
2007-? Kate Marshall (D), Navada
2007-08 Robin Wiessmann (D), Pennsylvania
2007-? Dawn Marie Sass (D), Wisconsin
1930-50 Ana Frohmiller, Arizona
Candidate for Governor in 1950. Lived (1891–1971)
1933-1956
Berta E. Baker (R), North Dakota
State Treasurer in 1929-1932.
1955-1958
Agnes Baggett (D), Alabama
State Treasurer in 1959-1962 and 1967-1974.
1955-1966
Minnie A. Mitchell (R), Wyoming
State Treasurer in 1951-1954 and 1967-1970
1956-1959;
1970-1975 Mary Louise Foust (D), Kentucky
1957-1959
Fay Albee (R), South
Dakota
1959-1962
Mary Texas Hurt Garner (D), Alabama
State Treasurer in 1963-1967 and Secretary of State 1955-1958.
1959-1961
Harriet Horning (D), South
Dakota
1961-1963
Betty Lou Casey (R), South
Dakota
1961-1964
Dorothy Gardner (R), Indiana
1963-1966;
1975-1982 Bettye Frink (D), Alabama
1967-1974
Melba Till Allen (D), Alabama
State Treasurer in 1975-1978.
1968-1970
Trudy Slaby Etherton (R), Indiana
1969-1978
Alice Kundert (R), South
Dakota
Secretary of State in 1979-1987.
1971-1978
Mary Aikins Currie (D), Indiana
1981-1995
Julia Hughes Jones (R), Arkansas
Jones was a Democrat; she switched parties in October 1993.
1983-1990
Jan Cook (D), Alabama
Public Service Commissioner since 1991.
1984-1987
Mary Ann Tobin (D), Kentucky
1984-1999
Margaret Kelly (R),
Margaret
Kelly (R)
Kelly was initially appointed to fill a vacancy and was subsequently elected..
1985-1992
Andrea Bennett (R), Montana
Bennett was first elected under her maiden name of Andrea Hemstead. Montana's
state auditor also serves as the insurance Commissioner.
1987-1994
Ann G. DeVore (R), Indiana
1995-1999
Patsy Duncan (R), Alabama
1995-2003
Judi Dutcher (DFL), Minnesota
DFL indicates Democratic Farmer Labor, which is the name of the Democratic
party in Minnesota.
1995-96
Gail M. Chase, Maine
Appointed to the office. Only the position of Governor is an elective office
in the state.
1999-2003
Susan Parker (D), Alabama
1999-? Claire McCaskill (D), Missouri
In 2004 she was unsucessful Democrat candidate for Governor, loosing narrowly
to the Republican candidate.
1999-2001
Carol Springer (R), Arizona
State Treasurer in 2001-2003.
1999-2005
Connie Nass (R), Indiana
1999-2007
Kathleen Witek (R), Nebraska
2001-05
Elizabeth M. Ready (D), Vermont
2003-07
Beth Chapman (R), Alabama
2003-07
Patricia Awada (R), Minnesota
2003-? Betty Montgomery (R), Ohio
Attorney General in 1995-2003.
Her official name is
2007-? Samantha Shaw (R), Alabama
2007-? Rebecca Otto (DFL)
2007-? Susan Montee (D), Missouri
2007-? Mary Taylor (R), Ohio
2007-? Rita Meyer (R),
1955-1970
Sibyl Pool (D), Alabama
Secretary of State in 1944-50 and State Treasurer in 1951-1954.
1971-1980
Juanita W. McDaniel (D), Alabama
McDaniel resigned in February 1980.
1973-1979
Paula F. Hawkins (R), Florida
Hawkins resigned in March 1979.
1981-1986
Jane Eskind (D), Tennessee
1991-? Jan Cook (D), Alabama
State Auditor in 1983-1990.
1993-? Susan E. Wefald (R), North
Dakota
1995-1999
Sara Kyle (D), Tennessee
1997-? Ann Boyle (D), Nebraska
2003-? Angela Elizabeth Speir (R), Georgia
2007-? Susan D. Parker (D), Alabama
State Auditor 1998-2002
1981-1984
Diane McCarthy (R), Arizona
1981-1988
Norma
Eagleton (D),
Oklahoma
1984
Marianne Jennings (R), Arizona
Jennings
was appointed to fill a vacancy.
1985-1986
Sharon Megdal (D), Arizona
Megdal was appointed to fill a vacancy.
1985-1999
Marcia Weeks (D), Arizona
1995-1997
Gloria Tristani (D), New Mexico
1997-2007
Denise Bode (R), Oklahoma
Bode was initially appointed and was subsequently elected.
1985-1987
Arlene Violet (R), Rhode
Island
1986-1993
Mary Sue Terry (D), Virginia
Terry resigned in January 1993 to run for governor.
1988-1990
Clarine Nardie Riddle (D), Connecticut
Riddle was appointed to fill a vacancy.
1991-1995
Susan Loving (D), Oklahoma
Loving was appointed to fill a vacancy.
1991
Mary
Stallcup (D), Arkansas
Stallcup was appointed to fill a vacancy for a very brief time.
1991-1999
Gale A. Norton (R), Colorado
Since 2001 Secretary
of the Interior in USA Cabinet.
1991-1995
Bonnie Campbell (D), Iowa
1991-2003
Frankie Sue Del Papa (D), Nevada
1993-2003
Christine O. Gregoire (D), Washington
Governor from 2004.
1993-2001
Jan Graham (D), Utah
1993-1997
Pamela Carter (D), Indiana
1993-2001
Heidi Heitkamp (D), North
Dakota
Tax Commissioner 1986-1993. Heitkamp was
initially appointed and subsequently elected to fill an unexpired term
1995-? M. Jane Brady (R), Delaware
1995-2003
Carla J. Stovall (R), Kansas
1995-2003
Betty Montgomery (R), Ohio
State Auditor since 2003.
1999-2003
Janet Napolitano (D), Arizona
Governor since 2003.
1999-2003
Jennifer Granholm (D), Michigan
Governor since 2003.
1999-2007
Patricia Madrid (D), New
Mexico
2000-2001
Karen Freeman-Wilson, Indiana
2003-?
Lisa Madigan (D), Illinois
2003-2007
Peg Lutenschlager (D), Wisconsin
2007-? Martha Coakley (D), Massachusetts
2007-? Lori Swanson (D), Minnesota
2007-? Catherine Cortez Masto (D), Nevada
1991-1995 Dawn Clark Netsch (D), Illinois
1995-2003
Kathleen Connell (D), California
1995-? Nancy Wyman (D), Connecticut
1995-1999
Loleta A. Didrickson (R), Illinois
1999-2004
Kathy Augustine (R), Nevada
1999-2007
Carole Keeton Strayhorn (R), Texas
Railroad
Commissioner in 1994-1999.
2007-? Donna M. Jones (R), Indiana
2007-? Kim Wallin (D), Nevada
2007-? Susan Combs (R), Texas
Commissioner
of Insurance
1972-1976
Evelyn E. Gandy (D), Mississippi
1960-1964
and 1968-1972 State Treasurer. Lt. Governor 1976-1980.
1993-? Donna Lee Williams (R), Delaware
1993-2001
Deborah Senn (D), Washington
1995-2002
Kathleen Sebelius (D), Kansas
Governor since 2003.
2003-? Sandy Praeger (R), Kansas
Commissioner
of Education
1987-1993
Betty Castor (D), Florida
Railroad
Commissioner
1927-1934
Mamie Eaton Greene (D), Florida
Greene was initially appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her
husband; she was subsequently elected.
1991-1992
Lena Guerrero (D), Texas
Guerrero
was appointed to fill a vacancy.
1994-1999
Carole Keeton Strayhorn (R), Texas
Strayhorn
won a special election to fill an unexpired term. State
Controller since 1999.
2005-?
Superintendent
of Education
1991-1999
Barbara Nielsen (R), South
Carolina
1995-2003
Linda Schrenko (R), Georgia
1999-? Inez Tenenbaum (D), South
Carolina
2003-? Kathy Cox (R), Georgia
Secretary
of Agriculture
1999-2007
Patty Judge (D), Iowa
Lt. Governor 2007.
State Printer
1957-1960
Lily M. Washabough (D), Kansas
Commissioner
of Elections
2000-? Suzanne Haik Terrell (R), Louisiana
Candidate for U.S. Senator in 2002.
1931-1951
and 1956-1957 Lucille May Grace (D), Louisiana
Grace was initially appointed to fill a vacancy caused by the death of her
father; she died while serving
in office in 1957.
1952-1955
and 1960-1975 Ellen Bryan Moore (D), Louisiana
Public
Registration Commissioner
1999-2001
Lynda Lovejoy (D), New
Mexico
Commissioner
of Labor
1979-1995
Mary Wendy Roberts (D), Oregon
1995-2007
Brenda Reneau Wynn (R), Oklahoma
2001-? Cherie Killian Berry (R), North
Carolina
1989-1997
Sarah Vogel (D), North
Dakota
1999-? Susan Combs (R), Texas
2001-2003
Meg Scott Phipps (D), North
Carolina
1986-1993
Heidi Heitkamp (D), North
Dakota
Heitkamp was initially appointed and subsequently elected to fill an unexpired
term. Attorney
General 1993-2001.
1965-1968
Grace McCalmont (D), Pennsylvania
State Treasurer 1961-1964 and 1969-1976.
1989-1997
Barbara H. Hafer (R), Pennsylvania
State Treasurer since 1997.
1975-1980
Norma Klinkel (D), South Dakota
1977-1982
Char Fischer (R), South Dakota
1989-2001
Laska Schoenfelder (R), South Dakota
1997-2003
Pam Nelson (D), South Dakota
Commissioner
of Lands
1993-2001
Jennifer Belcher (D), Washington
Commissioner of Charities and Corretions
1907-14
Kate Bernard, Oklahoma
She lived (1875-1930).
Last update
21.12.2015