By AP/KWMU
Albany, NY – A new survey places Missouri fifth in the percentage of women appointed by the governor to top government jobs.
Nationally, women made up 32% of top state appointments last year. That was down slightly from two years earlier.
But in Missouri, nearly 43% of top state officials appointed by the governor were women. Illinois ranked 35th.
An institute at the University of Albany in New York conducts the survey every two years. Missouri moved up to fifth place after ranking 18th two years ago 41st in 1999. New Hampshire had the lowest proportion of female appointees in key state positions, at about 15%.
| Women Appointed as Policy Leaders | ||||
| RANK | STATE | '03 Percentage | Rank in 2001 | Rank in 1999 |
| 1 | Massachusetts | 50.0% | 5 | 5 |
| 2 | Oregon | 47.8% | 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Florida | 44.8% | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Iowa | 43.1% | 9 | 9 |
| 5 | Missouri | 42.9% | 18 | 41 |
| 35 | Illinois | 28.6% | 44 | 40 |