Women make up more than half of the U.S. population, yet the majority of elected and appointed positions in government are held by men.

Political insiders control who gets recruited to run for office, partisanship and winner-take-all voting often determines who wins, and antiquated legislative rules impact who can serve and lead.

The problem isn't just convincing more women candidates to run for office. The problem is there are structural and institutional barriers that limit women's odds of success at every stage of the electoral process.

To advance women's representation and leadership in the United States, we need to complement existing candidate-centric practices with innovative systems strategies. 

Electing more women to government will strengthen our democracy by making it more representative, reviving bipartisanship and collaboration, improving policy outcomes, encouraging a new style of leadership, and cultivating trust in our elected bodies.

Through research and advocacy, RepresentWomen is paving the way for women in American politics to Run, Win, Serve and Lead. To learn more about our signature research, please consult the following: