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Summary of Women's Representation on Wisconsin County Boards
While women's participation on county boards continues to rise gradually, leadership roles remain disproportionately held by men. Women make up one-quarter of all county board members, but hold only a small fraction of Chair positions and remain underrepresented in most leadership roles.
Overall Representation (2005–2025)
The first chart shows a steady, gradual increase in the percentage of women serving on Wisconsin county boards over the past two decades.
- In 2005, women held about 19% of county board seats.
- Representation dipped slightly in 2010, but then steadily increased.
- By 2017, women held 20% of seats, rising to 21% in 2019.
- The most notable gains appear in the past few years:
- 24% in 2021
- 25% in 2025, the highest level to date.
Overall, women's representation has grown by roughly six percentage points since 2005.
2025 County Board Leadership Roles
The second chart highlights gender representation in leadership positions—Chair, Vice Chair, and 2nd/3rd Vice Chair in 2025.
- There are only 3 county women Chairs in Wisconsin (about 4%).
- Women hold 13 of 72 Vice Chair positions (18%).
- In the 2nd and 3rd Vice Chair category, women hold 11 of 37 positions, or roughly 30%.
Counties with the Highest Percentage of Women Serving on County Boards
This graph highlights Wisconsin counties where women hold the largest share of county board seats. Women have achieved or exceeded parity with men in only 2 of 72 Wisconsin Counties.