As Congress has postponed a proposed bipartisan measure allowing new parents to vote by proxy, some state lawmakers are seeking alternatives to support parents serving in office. Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, who spearheaded the congressional push, reached a compromise with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson last week, but the plan does not include proxy voting. As debates continue on Capitol Hill, many are looking to state legislatures to provide solutions that make it easier for parents, particularly women, to balance family life and public service.
The Push for Proxy Voting
Proxy voting, where a lawmaker casts a vote on behalf of an absent member, has been a key part of the discussion around supporting parents in the workplace. This concept has gained traction in several states, where lawmakers already use remote voting for specific situations, such as health issues or military service.
Lawmakers, particularly those with young children, argue that proxy voting could provide them with crucial time to recover after childbirth and care for their infants. This is especially important in an era where child care and family affordability are hot topics in U.S. politics.
Mallory McMorrow, Michigan’s second sitting state senator to give birth while in office, emphasized that supporting lawmakers with families should not be a partisan issue. “This should be about supporting families and supporting lawmakers who prioritize the issues of families,” McMorrow stated. “It should not be a partisan issue.”
Challenges for Parents in State Legislatures
State legislative sessions often extend late into the night, with long commutes and members spending multiple days a week away from home. This makes balancing family life difficult, especially for those with young children. When McMorrow had her daughter in 2021, there was no proxy or maternity leave policy for lawmakers. Nevertheless, she took 12 weeks off. Now running for U.S. Senate, McMorrow advocates for remote voting as a solution for situations like hers, as well as for other situations, including medical emergencies and military service.
Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh also pointed out that state government was not originally designed with women’s needs in mind. In 2019, she made headlines when she brought her baby to the floor and pushed for a designated nursing room, a practice that has since become more common.
Lack of Representation and Parenthood
Experts argue that the difficulties parents face in state legislatures are one reason why many women with young families hesitate to run for office. According to research, only about a third of all state lawmakers are women, and the numbers vary significantly by state.
Liuba Grechen Shirley, CEO of Vote Mama, an organization dedicated to supporting mothers in public office, stated, “We want people in office who understand what most American families are dealing with.” However, the lack of policies to support parents in office could deter potential candidates from pursuing a career in politics.
Pandemic-Inspired Changes
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many states allowed remote participation in legislative processes. Some states have rolled back those measures, while others have maintained them. For example, Minnesota and Colorado have provisions for remote voting in cases like health issues or childbirth. Minnesota’s Senate allows remote voting for any reason with leadership approval. Earlier this year, Virginia allowed a lawmaker to vote remotely after giving birth.
Virginia Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling, who is currently on maternity leave, described the flexibility as “invaluable.” She expressed disappointment over Congress’s rejection of similar provisions. “I am glad that Democrats in the Commonwealth of Virginia choose to stand with families, as we always have, to set a better example for our friends in D.C.,” Bolling stated.
Opposition to Proxy Voting
Despite growing support, some lawmakers oppose proxy voting, including Speaker Mike Johnson, who argues that lawmaking requires in-person participation. Critics of proxy voting fear that it could lead to too many lawmakers missing legislative sessions, undermining the legislative process.
In response, Johnson proposed a “pairing system,” a long-standing tradition in Congress, where a present member’s vote cancels out the vote of an absent member. This system has been adopted in several state legislatures, including Arkansas.
The Push for Change in Statehouses
Advocates for mothers in office argue that the absence of supportive policies is a significant barrier to increasing women’s representation in state and federal governments. In 2018, the Federal Election Commission allowed congressional candidates to use campaign funds for child care. Since then, 39 states have followed suit. However, Grechen Shirley believes that the lack of sufficient mothers in office is preventing these necessary changes from happening.
“At the root of this, there just aren’t enough moms in office to push for these changes,” she said.
Balancing Family and Lawmaking
Hawaii House Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto faced similar challenges when she gave birth to her daughter in late 2019. She was denied the chance to vote remotely, though the pandemic later led the legislature to adopt remote voting temporarily. Matsumoto supports the idea of remote voting but cautions that such a system should safeguard against abuse.
“In Hawaii, we’re separated by water,” Matsumoto explained. “There’s different reps that have to fly in. So what works for Hawaii might not be the same for Oklahoma.”
Some lawmakers, including former Missouri State Representative Peter Merideth, argue that fathers should also be encouraged to take time off during the birth of a child. Merideth, who had to frequently rush home to care for his young daughter during her battle with epilepsy, said that remote participation could have helped in his situation. However, he acknowledged the limitations of remote work, stating that he wouldn’t want lawmakers to miss too many sessions. “You do miss a lot by not being there,” he said. “But I wouldn’t want them to have to choose between a crisis situation at home and being able to be there for those of us that voted for them.”
The debate over proxy voting for lawmakers continues to evolve, and while Congress has rejected the idea for now, statehouses may provide a way forward. As more lawmakers, especially mothers, advocate for changes to better balance family life with public service, the hope is that legislative bodies at all levels will begin to adopt policies that better reflect the needs of modern families.
