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Reflective Democracy Campaign

Investigates and disrupts the demographics of power in the United States

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Democracy Facts from the Reflective Democracy Campaign

The US, made up of orange, white, and light blue dots. Some dots are larger than others.
  • All Facts
  • Who Leads Us?
  • System Failure
  • Minority Rule
  • Justice for All?
  • Democracy, Emerging
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Since 2014, our comprehensive database of US elected officials by race and gender has yielded unparalleled insights into key demographic trends like the rise of women and people of color in office, and the persistence of white male minority rule in state legislatures and the criminal justice system.

Minority Rule

15 of our state legislatures are 90% or more white.

This is progress. Just a decade ago, 22 state legislatures were over 90% white!

Icons of 15 states, including Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming and Utah.
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System Failure

In the last general election, 52% of Georgia’s state legislature contests were won by candidates who ran unopposed.

Millions of Georgia voters had no choice.

State of Georgia with an icon of an exclamation point in a triangle on it.
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Who Leads Us?

The Nevada state legislature is 63% women.

A pie chart with a wedge that is orange and 63% and a wedge that is dark blue and 27%. The shape of Nevada is in the background.
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Democracy, Emerging

Across the country, white men are 30% of the population.

Since 2014, their share of state legislature seats dropped from 65% to 56%

A graphic with the number 65% on the left and the number 56% on the right. An arrow goes from the 65 to the 56 and the 56 is circled in orange.
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Justice for All?

In South Carolina, white men are 31% of the population, but 81% of elected prosecutors.

Column chart showing white men are 31% of the population in South Carolina, but are 81% of elected prosecutors.
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Minority Rule

In Ohio, where 24% of the population are people of color, 98% of elected county officials are white.

A pie chart with a large 98% white wedge and a small 2% dark blue wedge.
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Who Leads Us?

The US population is 40% people of color, yet in 15 state legislatures, white people hold 90% or more of seats.

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Minority Rule

White men are 30% of the population, but 67% of the US Senate.

A column chart showing that white men are 30% of the population but 67% of the US Senate.
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System Failure

In 2022, more than 30% of state legislators across the country ran unopposed.

Millions of American voters had no choice.

A map of the US that is orange. It has a glitch effect applied to it. Overlayed is an exclamation point in a triangle.
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Justice for All?

What do California & Texas have in common?

In each state, people of color are the majority. And in each state, 82% of elected sheriffs are white.

A grid of 100 white sheriff stars. The last 18 are colored orange.
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Minority Rule

What do Louisiana & New York have in common?

In both, white men are less than 1/3rd of the population, but more than 2/3rds of state and federal elected officials.

Louisiana and New York
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Democracy, Emerging

In 2014, Alaska’s state legislature was 91% white. Today, more than 23% of its state legislators are people of color.

Alaska
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Who Leads Us?

In 15 state legislatures, women hold 40% or more of seats.

Map with Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine highlighted.
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Minority Rule

In Mississippi, white men are 28% of the population but 57% of state legislators.

Bar chart showing 28% of white men in the population of Mississippi and 57% of the state legislature. The shape of Mississippi is in the background.
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Justice for All?

Nationwide, 98% of elected Sheriffs are men.

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Who Leads Us?

In North Dakota, people of color are over 15% of the population but 2% of state legislators.

A grid of 100 stars. 98 are white and the last two are orange. The background is the state of North Dakota.
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Who Leads Us?

In eighteen state legislatures, men hold over 70% of seats. In six of these states, they are 80% or more of state legislators.

Icons of Arkansas, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
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System Failure

1,857 state legislators across the country ran unopposed in the last general election.

Millions of American voters had no choice.

A map of the US that is orange. It has a glitch effect applied to it. Overlayed is an exclamation point in a triangle.
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Who Leads Us?

In West Virginia, 87% of state legislators are men.

West Virginia
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Democracy, Emerging

Since 2014, women of color have increased their share of state legislature seats in every election.

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Justice for All?

Nationwide, 93% of elected prosecutors are white.

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Minority Rule

In nine state legislatures, women hold fewer than 25% of seats.

That’s progress. Just a decade ago, women held fewer than 25% of seats in 14 state legislatures.

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Find Out More

Our reports and infographics explore the demographic trends behind the tug-of-war over democracy that defines American politics today. Check out everything we’ve learned, and stay up to date with us on X.

Go Deeper

Our reports offer in-depth explorations of exciting demographic shifts in elected leadership; the persistent imbalances that sustain white male minority rule; and the structural issues shaping a democracy just at the start of its journey towards fairness and full representation.

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