Thinking of running for office? Then you'll need a copy of POP's guide for women candidates. Thinking of Running for Office covers a wide range of topics important to women who are just launching their political careers. Whether it's exploring your own public record, assessing whether a seat is winnable, building a fundraising base, or developing a campaign plan, this valuable guide offers insight and hands-on advice.
Getting Started
Designed to help you decide if you're ready to run for office, our guide makes sure you ask yourself the right questions and are prepared to get your campaign off to a solid start. From raising money to assessing your viability as a candidate, this guide will make sure you're prepared to make the decision to run.
Click here to download a free copy of the guide. »
Click here for information about POP trainings. »
Why You Should Run
A seminal 2004 Brown University study on women candidates identified two significant reasons why women are reluctant to run for office:
- women are significantly less likely than men to view themselves as qualified to run for office;
- and women are less likely than men to receive encouragement to run for office from party leaders, elected officials, and political activists.
Women also feel less confident about running campaign organizations, and insecure about the amount of institutional backing and support they would receive.
EMILY's List Political Opportunity Program addresses women's primary concerns about becoming candidates through training, financial support, and one-on-one technical assessment.
POP recruits qualified women leaders across the country, encourages them to run, and teaches them how to build effective campaigns. POP staff, experienced political strategists who have worked on numerous campaigns and even run for office themselves, maintain close contact with the women they are working with after the election, helping them chart a career that will move them into leadership positions either in the states or at the federal level.
From developing a campaign message and honing fundraising skills, to working with the media and creating effective voter communications, participants at POP training seminars across the country are gaining the fundamental skills they need to launch successful political careers.
EMILY's List is the only Democratic political organization that is in the field fighting back, state by state. And demand for POP training and services is increasing exponentially — from women, from Democratic state parties, from progressive organizations in the states. POP is creating opportunities to help elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates who will represent progressive values at every level of government. We are building an infrastructure of progressive officials who will serve at every level of government, across the country. Through POP, EMILY's List is truly changing the political landscape for years to come.
The Facts About Women in Office
- 84% of the 110th Congress are men
- 82% of state governors are men
- 88% of large city mayors are men
- 77% of state legislators are men
- Of the 1,899 people who have served in the U.S. Senate, 35 are women. 16 of these women are serving now.
- Of the 10,600 people who have served in the U.S. House, 210 are women. 71 of these women are serving now.
The Reality of Women's Campaigns
"Women perform as well as men when they do run for office."
"Studies show a complete absence of gender bias in terms of vote totals."
"Winning elections has nothing to do with the sex of the candidate."
-- Brown University, "Why Don't Women Run for Office?," Jennifer L. Lawless and Richard L. Fox, 2004