How 26 years of organizing reshaped Georgia leadership
Georgia legislature nears 31% women after historic election
Women will account for nearly 31% of the incoming Georgia General Assembly in 2027 as Gov.-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms prepares to take office and Columbus lawmaker Carolyn Hugley stands poised to become the state's first Black woman House speaker.
ATLANTA - Women are preparing to take on some of the most powerful positions in Georgia government following an election that shattered political barriers and opened the door to a new generation of leadership.
Historic Georgia women leaders
What we know:
Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms made history as the first Black woman elected governor in the United States. Meanwhile, longtime Columbus lawmaker Carolyn Hugley has been chosen by House Democrats to lead the chamber when the new legislative session begins in January. Her selection must still be approved by the full House.
The changes come as Democrats regain control of the Georgia House for the first time in more than two decades. Republicans will retain their majority in the state Senate.
Women will make up nearly 31%, or nearly one-third, of lawmakers in the incoming 2027 Georgia General Assembly, where Democrats will govern with a narrow majority in the House.
For Melita Easters, executive director and founding chair of Georgia WIN List, the election results represent a milestone more than 26 years in the making.
She described seeing women rise to the state’s highest offices as "certainly a dream come true."
More than two decades of preparing women to lead
The backstory:
Easters helped establish Georgia WIN List to recruit, train and support Democratic women running for public office, with a particular focus on protecting reproductive rights.
The organization has supported women seeking positions ranging from local school boards and city councils to the state legislature and other public offices.
Easters added that the work has helped create a network of women serving communities throughout Georgia.
"The training that we offer, it’s like little leadership seeds that you plant," she said. "Not everyone runs for office who takes our training, but many of them work in the campaigns."
She said some women go on to serve in elected office, while others use their experience to work on campaigns or become involved in public service.
For Easters, the growing number of women in government reflects years of efforts to encourage more women to enter politics and prepare them for leadership.
What more women in leadership could mean for Georgia
What they're saying:
Easters believes the impact of the election will extend beyond the historic firsts.
With Democrats controlling the House, women lawmakers could have greater opportunities to influence committee assignments, legislative priorities and which bills advance for consideration.
"WIN List was founded 26.5 years ago to give an alternative of support for women candidates because the good old boy network in Georgia politics — and at that time Democrats had been in control — was so pervasive," Easters said. "And so now to see a woman governor, a Democratic woman governor, a Democratic woman speaker, and to know that we have the prospect of many women as Democratic chairs for important committees in the House is certainly a dream come true."
She expects several issues that struggled to gain traction under Republican leadership to receive renewed attention.
"Well, obviously, the expansion of Medicaid will be a big, big issue," Easters said.
She also expects women lawmakers to focus on environmental concerns surrounding data centers, along with proposals aimed at improving gun safety.
"Women legislators, by and large, are more concerned about gun safety issues, the safe storage of firearms in a home that’s really just kind of common sense," Easters said.
She pointed to previous efforts by Democratic lawmakers to advance firearm storage legislation, saying those proposals repeatedly failed to move forward.
However, Democrats will still need to negotiate with Republicans who control the Senate, meaning House approval alone will not guarantee legislation becomes law.
A new generation of women leaders
Dig deeper:
Easters also expressed confidence in Hugley’s leadership, citing her decades of experience in the Georgia General Assembly and her ability to work with other lawmakers.
Hugley has served in the House since 1993 and previously held leadership positions within the Democratic caucus.
Easters believes the incoming leadership team will play an important role in shaping the party’s legislative agenda and working with the Bottoms administration.
She also emphasized that women elected to leadership positions will need continued support from advocates and organizations outside government.
A message for her granddaughters
What they're saying:
Beyond the political victories, Easters said the election carries personal meaning for her family.
She recalled bringing her own daughters to the Georgia Capitol years ago, when the state’s top political positions were overwhelmingly held by men.
Now, as a grandmother, she sees a different future for the next generation.
"What I love is that they now will know they can be anything," Easters said.
She reflected on how much has changed since she first became involved in Georgia politics and what it means for young girls to see women holding positions once considered out of reach.
"Now my granddaughters will know that anything is possible for them, and I love that," she said.
For Easters, the significance of this election also lies in the contributions of women who ran for office long before this year’s victories.
"But the thing we have to remember is that there are a lot of women who’ve run for office before who put cracks in the marble ceilings that have been shattered," she said.
As Georgia prepares for a new administration and legislative session in January, Easters sees the election as both the result of decades of political organizing and the beginning of another chapter for women in state government.
Upcoming House speaker vote
What we don't know:
Officials have not announced the exact date of the full House floor vote to formally ratify Hugley's speakership or revealed which lawmakers will chair key House committees in January.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from interviews and statements provided by Melita Easters, executive director and founding chair of Georgia WIN List.