The Challenge
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.
The Solutions
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.
Women Running
Recruitment targets for political parties so more women run.
Women Winning
Ranked choice voting for executive & legislative offices so more women win.
Women Serving
Modern rules like onsite childcare so more women can serve effectively.
Women Leading
Rankin Chisolm Rule for political appointments & hiring so more women lead.
Our Signature Research
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:
Get Involved
New from RepresentWomen
Weekend Reading on Women's Representation May 20, 2022
Posted on May 20, 2022
I am back in the Bay Area this week meeting with other supporters of proportional voting to discuss strategies to modernize U.S. House elections with ranked choice voting in districts that elect 3 or more people.
Read MoreWeekend Reading on Women's Representation May 13, 2022
Posted on May 13, 2022
Happy Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! This week we are celebrating AAPI women leaders and exploring AAPI women's representation. While numbers vary, multiple sources suggest that about 6% of Americans identify as AAPI. According to the Center for American Women and Politics, AAPI women hold the following offices:
Read MoreWhat Moms in Politics Really Want This Mother’s Day: Campaign-Funded Childcare
Posted on May 09, 2022
Campaign-funded childcare addresses barriers that women face in politics. It levels the playing field so more women can run, and if combined with structural reform like ranked choice voting and legislative rule changes that modernize government work places, more women can win and lead. This could lead to important policies like universal affordable childcare and paid leave.
Read More