Fewer women will hold seats in Kansas Legislature next year

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Fewer women won seats this election for the Kansas Legislature at a time more women captured legislative seats nationwide.

The Wichita Eagle reports Kansas had been above the national average in terms of the percentage of legislative seats held by women but will fall below the national average come January.

The National Conference of State Legislatures says Kansas had 48 female lawmakers, and women held 28.5 percent of all seats this year.

Once new lawmakers take office in January, that number will drop to 43 with women holding just 26 percent of seats.

The losses come even as Kansas elected Democrat Laura Kelly as its third female governor. Sen. Vicki Schmidt also takes over as insurance commissioner after years without a woman holding a statewide executive office.

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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com