Washington, D.C. — April 13, 2025
A bipartisan push to allow members of Congress to vote by proxy while on parental leave has collapsed, leaving state legislatures to carry the torch in efforts to modernize legislative work and support lawmakers with young children—particularly mothers.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Florida Republican who had been leading efforts to implement parental proxy voting in the U.S. House, said she reached a compromise last week with House Speaker Mike Johnson that excluded the measure. Instead, Johnson agreed to formalize an existing “pairing system” in which a present member can offset the vote of an absent colleague.
The breakdown of the proposal comes as more lawmakers—especially women—have called for policies that reflect the realities of raising a family while serving in public office.
“This should be about supporting families and supporting lawmakers who prioritize the issues of families,” said Michigan state senator Mallory McMorrow, who was only the second sitting senator in the state to give birth while in office. “It should not be a partisan issue.”
McMorrow, now running for U.S. Senate, took 12 weeks of leave after giving birth in 2021 despite the absence of any formal maternity or proxy voting policy. She argues that voting technology exists and should be used to accommodate not only parents, but also lawmakers facing health emergencies or serving in the military.
Proxy voting—when one lawmaker casts a vote on behalf of another—was briefly used in Congress during the COVID-19 pandemic but was later rescinded. Many statehouses followed a similar trajectory, rolling back remote voting policies despite ongoing calls to reinstate them.
Some states, however, have moved ahead. Minnesota and Colorado’s House chambers allow remote participation in limited circumstances, including the birth of a child or medical issues. Virginia’s General Assembly allowed remote voting for a lawmaker who gave birth in February.
Virginia Delegate Destiny LeVere Bolling, currently on maternity leave, praised her state’s flexibility and expressed disappointment at the stalled efforts in Washington. “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.,” she said.
Critics of proxy voting, including Speaker Johnson, argue that legislative work must be done in person. Some warn that offering the option too broadly could lead to chronic absenteeism in Congress. Still, the pairing system—long practiced informally—was codified as a compromise.
Advocates say that change is critical to attracting and retaining younger women in public office, noting that legislative bodies have historically not been designed with women—or caregivers—in mind.
“When I first brought my baby to the Nebraska Senate floor in 2019, it was seen as unusual,” said Nebraska State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh. “Now we have a nursing room and a bit more support, but we’re still far from where we need to be.”
Currently, only about one-third of state legislators across the country are women, a disparity that many say reflects institutional inflexibility rather than a lack of interest or qualifications.
Liuba Grechen Shirley, founder and CEO of Vote Mama, an organization supporting mothers running for office, said the lack of parental support structures in government discourages women from pursuing elected roles. “At the root of this, there just aren’t enough moms in office to push for these changes,” she said.
Since the Federal Election Commission ruled in 2018 that campaign funds could be used for child care, 39 states have followed suit. Advocates hope that similar ripple effects will follow from state-level proxy voting policies.
Hawaii House Minority Leader Lauren Matsumoto said she was denied a request to vote remotely when she gave birth in 2019—just months before the pandemic forced the state legislature to adopt temporary remote protocols. She supports bringing that system back, provided safeguards are in place.
“In Hawaii, we’re separated by water,” Matsumoto noted. “There’s different reps that have to fly in. So what works for Hawaii might not be the same for Oklahoma.”
Calls for reform extend beyond women. Former Missouri Representative Peter Merideth recalled having to rush home multiple times when his young daughter developed epilepsy. “I wouldn’t want my representative to start doing that on a regular basis,” he said of remote voting. “But I wouldn’t want them to have to choose between a crisis situation at home and representing those of us who voted for them either.”
While Congress stalls, state legislatures are increasingly seen as testing grounds for what the future of family-friendly governance might look like. For now, it’s the states—not Washington—that are leading the way.
