EMILY'S List Releases Guide to Encourage Women to Run for State and Local Office

Step-by-step guide helps Democratic women prepare to run for office

WASHINGTON, D.C. – EMILY's List, the nation's largest financial resource for women running for elective office, today announced the release of Thinking of Running for Office, a campaign guide for Democratic women candidates. The guide, which will serve as a tool for the EMILY's List Political Opportunity Program, is designed to encourage women to run for state and local office and provide them with critical knowledge to make that decision.

Thinking of Running for Office provides women with the information they need to make strategic and tactical decisions about deciding to run for office and putting together a campaign. It prompts women through the steps of a campaign, such as writing a campaign plan, raising money, developing a campaign message, putting together a strong campaign team, and delivering a campaign message.

After the 2000 election cycle, for the first time in over 30 years, the number of women serving in state legislatures declined. This decline comes at a critical time. "As the federal government transfers resources and decision-making power to the states, state legislators have more influence over policy that affects the day-to-day lives of American families—from banking laws to environmental regulations to reproductive rights," said EMILY's List President Ellen R. Malcolm. "The importance of having women at the decision-making table is more crucial now than ever."

In addition to fighting for laws that help working women and families, women serving in state and municipal office gain practical experience should they decide to seek higher office. In 2002, all three of the Democratic women governors that were elected came from statewide office. The EMILY's List Political Opportunity Program recognizes the unique strengths and challenges facing women candidates and is actively working in the states to recruit and train future leaders to run for local and state office, while also creating a pipeline to higher office.

"This guide is a terrific resource for Democratic women who are deciding whether to run for office - one that is not available from any other source," said EMILY's List National Political Director Karen M. White. "EMILY's List is breaking new ground in the states through our candidate trainings. We've conducted 40 trainings in almost 27 states and are talking to women about running who have not been encouraged before. Our guide is the first step in reaching thousands of potential Democratic women candidates across the country."

Women interested in receiving a copy of Thinking of Running for Office should send an email to information@emilyslist.org. Since beginning the Political Opportunity Program in 2001, EMILY's List has trained over 1700 women in 27 states interested in running for the legislature and local office, as well as those interested in working on their campaigns.

In its 19-year history, EMILY's List has helped elect seven women governors, 11 women to the United States Senate and 55 women to the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 2002 elections, EMILY's List and its almost 73,000 members contributed nearly $9.7 million to pro-choice Democratic women candidates; members contributed $23 million to fund EMILY's List operations and political program, including the nationwide WOMEN VOTE! project to mobilize women voters on behalf of Democrats.

For more information, visit our website at http://www.emilyslist.org/