This week marks two interesting milestones including the founding of the National Association of Colored Women by Mary Church Terrell & Frances E.W. Harper, and passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. Birthdays of notable women leaders include: Kelly Cannon, Charly Carter, former attorney general Janet Reno, Amalia Perez, Lan Nguyen, former representative Bella Abzug, Amelia Earhart, and Sayu Bhojwani.
Congressional Legislation: The Fair Representation Act, 2025
With Representative Don Beyer, sponsor of the Fair Representation Act, in 2023
RepresentWomen has long supported changing single-choice, single-member district elections as a fundamental systemic tool to level the playing field for women candidates. In Congress, very few districts have even a remote chance of changing parties today, with incumbent re-election rates regularly well over 90%, and single-choice elections incentivize negative campaigns that don’t reward coalition-building. RepresentWomen has a collection of resources relating to multi-member districts, ranked choice voting and proportional representation in our Women Winning content.
The Fair Representation Act in Congress provides an excitingly comprehensive reform solution, which RepresentWomen is proud to again support. As has been true every Congress since 2017, the bill’s prime sponsor is Congressman Don Beyer, who introduced the idea after he and his wife, Megan Beyer, met with me and my husband, Rob Richie, in 2016. Here is an excerpt from Congressman Beyer’s’ news release on July 23, 2025.
U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Jamie Raskin (D-MD) today led a House delegation in reintroducing the Fair Representation Act, an election reform bill to address structural gerrymandering issues and extreme partisanship in federal elections. The bill would implement measures to elect U.S. House Representatives through ranked choice voting in multi-member districts drawn by independent redistricting commissions and would require ranked choice voting to elect U.S. Senators.
“Hyperpartisan gerrymandering has suppressed meaningful electoral competition, which in turn has allowed extremist ideologies to hijack our political discourse and sown public distrust of our political system,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “Our Fair Representation Act would provide necessary solutions by implementing critical reforms to strengthen our electoral system, ensure every voter has their voice represented, and restore public trust. This is how we create a Congress made up of Members who prioritize pragmatic legislative results and solutions for the benefit of the American people.”...
“Nearly 9 in 10 Americans say elected officials don’t care what people like them think. We need ranked choice voting and proportional representation to make our government work for the American people,” said Meredith Sumpter, President and CEO of FairVote. “The Fair Representation Act gives voters more choice and more power. It would make our elections fairer and more competitive and offer a path away from gerrymandering and polarization. It would reward candidates and elected officials who build coalitions and work across the aisle to get things done for voters, rather than those who succeed by attacking and turning Americans against one another.”
Michigan’s Moment of Women’s Political Power and What’s at Stake in 2026
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (center), Secretary off State Jocelyn Benson (left) and Attorney General Dan Nessel - Source - Ms Magazine
Michigan has become one of the most powerful case studies in the country for what can happen when women lead, not just symbolically, but substantively. Over the last several years, the state has elected women to its top statewide offices, including governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. As of now, seven of the eight top elected officials in Michigan are women, many of them women of color, and women also make up a majority of the state’s Supreme Court.
But as The 19th reports in a new feature, this moment of historic leadership may not last. With multiple top women officials term-limited or preparing for other opportunities, 2026 could mark a reversal in Michigan’s gender parity gains, unless intentional work is done to recruit, support, and elect a new wave of women leaders. The article points out that the state’s current leadership didn’t happen by accident; it was the result of deep bench-building, party investment in women candidates, strong voter support for reproductive rights, and a broader rejection of extremism that often motivates women to run for office. But pipeline progress is fragile. Without continued infrastructure, mentorship, and structural reform (like campaign finance and districting changes), gains for women in power can be temporary.
This is about more than representation- it’s about outcomes. Research shows that women legislators are more likely to champion policies around healthcare, education, family leave, and reproductive justice. When women lead, our government reflects more of the public it serves. Michigan has proven that diverse, women-led leadership is possible and transformational. The next test is whether it can be sustained.
From the Future Caucus: Making Women’s Voices Heard
“The 19th Collective is a community of women legislators dedicated to bipartisan progress and impact.” Source: The Future Caucus
The Future Caucus is a vibrant organization connecting and collaborating with young elected leaders from both major parties. This month, it has added a 10-women second cohort to nine members from the original cohort from its 19th Collective. For more information on this future-focused initiative, read the descriptions of cohort members on The Future Caucus website after this explanation of the project:
The 19th Collective is a bipartisan community of Gen Z and millennial women legislators united by a shared commitment to leadership, collaboration, and advocacy. Inspired by the legacy of the 19th Amendment, the Collective was created to answer the call of young women legislators seeking deeper connections and a stronger sense of community in public service.
This unique initiative empowers women in legislative roles by fostering an environment where members can develop their skills, share knowledge, and collaborate effectively to enhance their impact. Beyond professional growth, we cultivate a strong sense of community, encouraging networking, mentorship, and camaraderie that extends beyond formal gatherings.
Through tailored workshops, discussions, and initiatives, the 19th Collective supports the ongoing professional development of our members, helping them sharpen their leadership skills, deepen their policy expertise, and achieve long-term success. Together, we work to amplify the visibility of women legislators, advocating for increased representation and addressing gender disparities in political leadership.
The 19th Collective is more than a network—it’s a space where women legislators unite across the aisle to lead, inspire, and make a difference. The Collective meets monthly for executive coaching, peer-to-peer support, and strategic skill-building.
Japanese Politics: Record Women Elected to the Upper House
Ayaka Shiomura, running for an Upper House seat on a Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan ticket in the Tokyo district, was one of 42 women elected in Sunday's election. Source: The Japan Times
In a historic leap forward for representation, 42 women were elected on July 20th to Japan’s upper house, the highest number to date, commanding 33.6% of the 125 seats contested, up from 35 seats in 2022. This marks the first time female representation has surpassed one-third at this level. While only half of the chamber’s seats were up for election and the lower house is the more powerful body, the elections were seen as a major vote for change in a country known for one-party dominance.
Among the newly elected is Mayu Ushida, a 40-year-old former NHK newsreader, who captured attention by winning a competitive Tokyo district, citing the voices of youth and young women as central to her campaign. The successful bid of high-profile figures like Seiko Hashimoto and Renho, spanning both the ruling and opposition parties, signals a broader shift in Japan’s political narrative.
Political representation isn’t just symbolic; it shapes whose interests are recognized and advanced. Studies show that women in power prioritize policies affecting healthcare, education, gender equality, reproductive rights, and social welfare. For a nation ranked 118th out of 148 on the WEF’s Political Empowerment Index, this milestone is significant, but not sufficient.
Despite this gain, women in the senate still fall short of Japan’s 35% goal, and progress remains fragile. Women are also far more poorly represented in the more powerful House of Representatives, where they hold only 15.7% of seats, ranking 138th in the world. To keep momentum going, structural shifts are needed, like equitable candidate recruitment, workplace support for caregivers, and campaign finance reforms. Japan’s record-setting upper house results are an important step, but the journey toward durable gender parity is far from over.
WIU Student Wins Simon Democracy Prize by Proposing RCV Referendum
Winter Hurst-Leadicker is one of four college students in the state of Illinois to win the 2025 Paul Simon Democracy Prize. The Western Illinois University student project proposes placing a referendum on the ballot that asks voters in Macomb to approve a ranked choice voting system for the city’s municipal elections. As they told Tri States Public Radio, “‘I believe that if you, as a citizen of the city of Macomb, truly want to be able to elect your local leaders that are able to have a sizeable mandate from the voters in a way that maximizes democracy, you should vote ‘yes’ on implementing a democratic, ranked-choice voting system for the city of Macomb municipal election.’”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsteth Removing Women from Leadership in the Military
One means of defining women as political leaders, particularly for executive office, is having models of leadership in prominent sectors of American government and business. That makes Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s blatant crusade to remove women from leadership role in the military particularly disturbing. Here is more on what crusade from the Atlantic in a July 22 story The Administration Wants Military Women to Know Their Place.
Trump and Hegseth have been on a firing spree throughout the military, especially when it comes to removing women from senior positions. This past winter, the administration fired Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first female chief of naval operations; Admiral Linda Fagan, the first female Coast Guard commandant; and Lieutenant General Jennifer Short, who was serving as the senior military assistant to the secretary of defense, all within weeks of one another. I taught for many years at the U.S. Naval War College, where I worked under its first female president, Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield. In 2023, she became the U.S. military representative to the NATO Military Committee—and then she was fired in April, apparently in part because of a presentation she gave on Women’s Equality Day 10 years ago.
At this point, women have been cleared out of all of the military’s top jobs. They are not likely to be replaced by other women: Of the three dozen four-star officers on active duty in the U.S. armed forces, none is female, and none of the administration’s pending appointments for senior jobs even at the three-star level is a woman.
Photo of Walker Pond near Deer Isle Maine, where I attended an all-girls camp for 6 years and learned to build shelters in the rain, navigate on the ocean in a canoe, and land a sail boat perfectly on the dock in Bucks Harbor, where Sal clambered ashore to get an ice cream cone after losing a tooth in the classic – One Morning in Maine, by Robert McCloskey
I made a quick pit stop at the home of Frances Perkins, the first woman cabinet secretary, while driving on a beautiful country road in Maine.
I also found the site on the coast near Bath, ME where my 10th great-grandfather, Captain James Davis, landed in 1607 and helped to establish the short-lived Popham Colony before returning to England and then sailing the ship Virginia to Jamestown, VA. I have many misgivings about the behavior of Captain Davis & his men and I am not sure how to think about my relationship to him, but it’s interesting to feel connected to the geography of this country from so many touchpoints in my heritage. I have also been thinking about the life and death of my husband’s 9th great-grandmother Susanna North Martin, who was hanged on July 19, 1692 along with the others convicted of witchcraft in Salem, MA.
New England reminds me of the beauty in the natural world that sustains us in so many ways.
That’s all for this week my friends,
Cynthia Richie Terrell
P.S. I am attending Citizen University’s Civic Collaboratory this week in Boston – it is wonderful to be among so many incredible leaders gathered together at the beautiful American Academy of Arts and Sciences building in Cambridge, MA. Stay tuned for next steps on the terrific Our Common Purpose report – with its impressive list of recommendations to build a stronger democracy.
With Betsy Super, Program Director for American Institutions and Global Security, at the Academy
With Ava Mateo, board member at New Voters