NEW REPORT: Systemic Barriers Push Young Lawmakers Out, Undermining Representation

Rising safety risks, financial strain, and outdated systems could leave state legislatures less representative, Future Caucus finds

WASHINGTON — A new report from Future Caucus, The Exit Interview: Why Decent People Are Struggling to Serve in Public Office, finds that young state legislators face growing challenges that threaten their ability to govern effectively and could result in less democratic representation. Based on interviews and surveys with 89 Republican and Democratic lawmakers across 31 states, the report identifies safety concerns, financial strain, inadequate institutional support, and outdated workplace systems as key barriers to retention.

“What we’re hearing from young lawmakers across the country is not disengagement, but a reality check,” said Layla Zaidane, president & CEO of Future Caucus. “Parties, political action committees, and civic organizations invest heavily in getting young leaders elected, then disappear once they’re sworn in. You’re on your own. That’s a problem on its own—but in a moment when state lawmakers face growing barriers to service, it’s downright counterproductive. If that doesn’t change, the risk isn’t just burnout. It’s legislatures that are less representative and less capable of delivering for the people they serve.”

Key Findings

• Lawmakers fear for their personal safety and their families’ well-being. Limited resources and lack of coordination with law enforcement leave them feeling powerless and vulnerable. This lack of agency erodes resilience.
• Young lawmakers are struggling to make ends meet. Legislative pay and benefits are often insufficient to sustain a family or household, forcing lawmakers—especially younger ones—to make untenable tradeoffs in order to serve their communities.
• Lawmakers feel stretched thin, ineffective, and unsupported. Most state legislatures lack the staffing, technology, and administrative infrastructure to support meaningful policy and constituent work. Lawmakers feel stretched thin, ineffective, and unsupported.
• Outdated workplace practices limit the effectiveness of legislatures. Unpredictable schedules and committee calendars, insufficient orientations, and limited bipartisan engagement make the job unnecessarily difficult and isolating for those who want to serve well.

The report notes that these challenges have been sharpened by rising political violence and escalating partisanship. High-profile attacks on state lawmakers have intensified concerns about personal safety and raised broader questions about the long-term sustainability of public service.

The challenges identified in The Exit Interview are not inevitable. They are the result of policy choices and can be addressed through deliberate reform. The report highlights several practical approaches states and civic leaders can take to modernize legislatures as workplaces and reduce barriers to service, including:

• Strengthening safety and security through clearer coordination with law enforcement, improved threat response protocols, and protections for lawmakers’ personal privacy.
• Improving financial viability, including the use of independent compensation commissions to depoliticize legislative pay, as seen in states like Kansas and Minnesota.
• Investing in institutional capacity, by expanding staffing, modernizing technology, and improving administrative infrastructure so lawmakers can govern more efficiently and effectively.
• Modernizing legislative operations, including more predictable calendars, family-friendly policies, and structured cross-partisan engagement that supports collaboration and continuity.

The full findings and recommendations are available here.

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Future Caucus is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that empowers young elected officials in Congress and state legislatures to bridge the partisan divide and lead a new era of collaborative governance. By supporting innovative policymaking and fostering collaboration, we help Gen Z and millennial leaders drive positive change and promote a political culture rooted in empathy and solutions. To learn more, visit www.futurecaucus.org.