Cowan is an inner-northern Perth seat lying generally between Morley Drive and Hepburn Avenue, extending from the Mitchell Freeway in the west to the Tonkin Highway and Lord Street in the east.

The current MP is Anne Aly, and member of Labor and the first Muslim woman elected to federal parliament.

She speaks Arabic and has previously worked in the Western Australia public service as a senior policy advisor.

[2] The division was created in 1984 and is named for Edith Cowan, the first woman elected to an Australian Parliament.

[3] In August 2021, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) announced that the Wanneroo suburbs of Ashby, Darch, Gnangara, Hocking, Jandabup, Landsdale, Madeley, Pearsall, Sinagra, Tapping, Wangara and Wanneroo, and the Swan suburbs of Cullacabardee and a small part of Ballajura, would be transferred from Cowan to the seat of Pearce, while the Swan suburbs of Bennett Springs and Whiteman would be transferred to the seat of Hasluck, and Cowan's portion of Kingsley would be transferred to the seat of Moore.