![An orange lowercase i in a dark blue circle](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/el-icon-dfacts-info-1.png)
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.
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/georgia-system-failure.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/wholeadsus-nevada-womenpct.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/white-male-state-leg-lower-1024x705.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/justiceforall-sc-whitemen-popvprosecutors-1024x820.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ohio-electedofficials-piechart-955x1024.png)
The US population is 40% people of color, yet in 15 state legislatures, white people hold 90% or more of seats.
![](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/wholeadus-stateleg-whitepeople-15states-894x1024.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/minorityrule-senate-whitemencomparison-1024x824.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/glitch-country-1024x603.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/justiceforall-catandtx-sheriffs-1024x900.png)
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](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/LA-NY-879x1024.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/wholeadus-map-stateleg-women40pctormore.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/minorityrule-ms-imbalance-1024x904.png)
Nationwide, 98% of elected Sheriffs are men.
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/wholeadsus-nd-poc-underrepresentation-1024x726.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/wholeadus-stateleg-men-sixstates-887x1024.png)
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.](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/glitch-country-1024x603.png)
In West Virginia, 87% of state legislators are men.
![West Virginia](https://wholeads.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/west-virginia-white.png)
Nationwide, 93% of elected prosecutors are white.
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.
Follow us on X
Reflective democracy comes alive in our feed. Join the conversation, and track the trends with us.