The presence of so many women in office and in party leadership positions can lead more women to seek election, said Cynthia Terrell, who runs Representation 2020. “We’re looking to find more ‘queenmakers’ to join the kingmakers,” she said.

Another study conducted by Representation 2020 in November found California had the fourth-best gender parity among U.S. states. The study’s findings also included women representing the state at in national offices and assigned more weight to their positions.

But politically active women in South Dakota — and beyond — are taking steps to expand their representation. It’s important to elect women, because governments that reflect their constituencies are stronger and draw voter participation, said Cynthia Terrell, chair of the project Representation 2020, a national group that promotes gender balance in governments.

However, according to the nonprofit group Representation 2020, only about 20 percent of political offices in the U.S. are occupied by women. The U.S. ranks 95th worldwide in the percentage of women who hold high political offices in that country.

At the current rate of progress, it will take nearly 500 years for women to reach fair representation in government.

Representation 2020 created an index that formulates women’s parity and Virginia’s score was 4.5 out of 50. 50 is the score that reflects equality. This is the lowest score of any state in the nation and the people of Virginia should fight for more women in office in order to get on the same level as the rest of the country.

Home to four of our nation’s first five presidents, Virginia was an early leader in American democracy. Today it holds a less noble position: worst in the nation in electing women to office.

According to an outfit called Representation 2020, five out of 50 states currently have women governors. According to the U.S. Census, women make up 51 percent of the population, but 10 percent of the governors.

Achieving gender parity will require a shift in perspective and innovative strategies. Training and exhortation are needed, but we also must take on structural and institutional barriers to women’s representation.