“If you want to fix Washington, elect more women.”
– Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Women are 51% of the U.S population, yet make up just 19.3% of the U.S. House of Representatives and just 20% of the U.S. Senate. If Congress were 51% women, we would not have wasted a whole Congress debating access to contraception.
At the state level, just 6 women serve as Governors and 24.5% of state legislative seats are filled by women. We can and must do better than this, from local school boards, to state legislatures, to the U.S. Congress. In fact, as of 2014, America is ranked just 97th in the world for women’s representation in national legislatures.
Statistics show that when women run, they win as often as men do, but women tend to need to be asked to run more than men. That’s why Kirsten created Off The Sidelines, to serve as a call to action, to let women know, just as the Rosie the Riveter campaign did for an earlier generation of women entering the workforce, that we need you to run, and when you do, you can win.
If you’re considering a run for office, check out our Resources page for organizations that specialize in helping women run for office.
A few highlights:
- Emerge America’s Put Yourself On The Ballot Program
- Yale University’s Women’s Campaign School
- Ask a woman you know to consider running for office at SheShouldRun.org
- Visit Levo Connections to read NY State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic’s advice to new candidates (and ask her a question yourself!)
For local resources available for women considering running for office, check out CAWP’s state by state local listings of groups ready to help women run for office and win.
Or click below on the postal code of the state where you’re planning to run:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Running for office isn’t for everyone, but if you are thinking about it, reach out to the local orgs and women elected leaders near you for advice and support. And once you launch your campaign, tell us your story so you can inspire others!
