Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!
In this week’s Weekend Reading, we’ll cover dedicated groups committed to election reform, organizations supporting women running for office at the local level, the latest 2024 elections information that women voters need, the Ranked-Choice Voting Act, and state Sen. Jessica Ramos’ campaign announcement. I’ll also share some highlights from our 2024 staff retreat!
Achieving a More Inclusive Democracy
With just 45 days until Election Day, voters across the country are receiving their mail ballots or preparing to cast their votes in person on Tuesday, Nov. 5. This week, we celebrated three civic holidays that remind us of the importance of voting:
- International Day of Democracy: On Sunday, Sept. 15, the United Nations championed the values of free speech, civil liberties, human rights, and representative democracies.
- National Voter Registration Day: On Tuesday, Sept. 17, nonprofits, elected officials, government agencies, sports teams, and more encouraged individuals to register to vote or update their voter information.
- Constitution Day: Sept. 17 also celebrated one of the founding documents of the United States.
In the 1700s, the U.S. Constitution was considered a pioneering document of reforms and rights granted in the newly-formed United States of America, but it did not extend basic rights, including the right to vote, to Black Americans, Indigenous Americans, or women.
The first document centering women’s rights was not produced until 1848 in Seneca Falls, New York. Here, a Declaration of Sentiments was created to advocate for equality between men and women, which included the right to vote, the right to own property, and so much more.
RepresentWomen is committed to building an inclusive, representative democracy in the United States. Our new Declaration of Sentiments uplifts the voices of women who were historically excluded from the original Seneca Falls convention, advocates for unity across the political spectrum to support women candidates, and provides examples of systemic changes needed to get more women to run for office and win elections. We’re excited to collaborate with organizations like Vote Run Lead Action, Vote Mama, She Should Run, and many others to build on the momentum of recent successes to normalize women’s power and leadership.
Now is the time to create a pipeline of women interested in running for office, from local councils to the presidency. By working together, we can build a more effective and robust democracy.
Please join us in signing our 2024 Declaration of Sentiments and affirm your support for systemic reforms that help women run, win, lead and serve!
RepresentWomen Featured in Roundup of Voting Rights Nonprofits
So many fantastic nonprofit, nonpartisan groups are committed to building a 21st-century democracy in the United States. From advocating for reforms like RCV to building a pipeline of diverse candidates to run for office, it was incredibly exciting to see myself and RepresentWomen featured amongst some of our partners!
Drew Lindsay of the Chronicle of Philanthropy writes:
Richie Terrell’s organization argues that ranked-choice voting helps weaken the electoral advantage enjoyed by incumbents — an advantage that makes it tough to achieve gender equality in representation. After New York adopted ranked-choice voting in 2021, women became a majority on the city council for the first time. Richie Terrell, a co-founder of FairVote with Rob Richie, started RepresentWomen in 2018.
Despite Gains Nationally, Women are Still Underrepresented at Local Levels in Public Office
Our 2024 Gender Parity Index found that progress towards gender parity in the United States is inconsistent. For example, in Vermont, gains at one level were offset by losses at another, ultimately decreasing their overall score. To increase women’s political power, we need to change our systems to make voting, running, winning, and leading in their communities easier. This article provides a fascinating deeper dive into the gender divide women face in school boards, mayors, city councils, and county-level government positions.
Justin de Benedictis-Kessner writes in The Conversation:
People learn early in life, through a process researchers call “gendered political socialization,” to question women’s place in politics. For this reason, women are less likely to express an interest in politics or run for office, and they first show this lack of political ambition early in their childhood. Other research shows that in adulthood, gendered expectations of women to have successful careers alongside motherhood can further limit their interest in running for office. Our research shows the consequences of these ambition gaps between men and women in politics: Women remain underrepresented in nearly every local political office, except for school boards.
State Sen. Jessica Ramos Announces Run for Mayor to Challenge Eric Adams
New York state Sen. Jessica Ramos announced her candidacy to challenge Mayor Eric Adams in the 2025 Democratic primary. Her campaign highlights her immigrant background and dedication to improving the lives of New Yorkers.
New York City uses ranked-choice voting for municipal elections. Our research shows that RCV, along with other reforms, led to a majority-women city council in New York City. Read our New York City Impact Analysis Brief to learn more about the impact of women on the city council.
Emma G. Fitzsimmons from the New York Times reports:
Ms. Ramos said she would center her campaign on improving life in the city and making it more affordable, pointing to her efforts in Albany on issues like raising the minimum wage.
“I feel that we are at a critical juncture where New Yorkers more than ever before can’t afford to live here and don’t see New York City as the vehicle to realize their American dream, and that’s a problem,” she said in the interview.
Ms. Ramos, 39, whose parents are from Colombia and whose two sons attend public schools, added: “I think that’s been particularly frustrating for me as the daughter of immigrants, but also as a mom — I want my kids to have a fighting chance to grow up in an amazing city that lends every economic opportunity to them.”
Nikki Haley Criticizes Donald Trump and JD Vance For How They Speak about Women
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley urged presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance to reconsider how they discuss women, advocating for a focus on policy rather than personal attacks. Haley criticized Trump’s remarks about Vice President Kamala Harris, saying insults like calling women “dumb” alienate Republican women.
Rebecca Shabad from NBC News reports:
“I think it’s because Donald Trump and JD Vance need to change the way they speak about women. You don’t need to call Kamala dumb. She didn’t get this far, you know, just by accident. … She’s a prosecutor. You don’t need to go and talk about intelligence or looks or anything else. Just focus on the policies,” she said.
Haley said that when Republicans call Democratic women “dumb,” “Republican women get their backs up, too.”
Bill to Implement Ranked-Choice Voting in Congressional Elections is Introduced
Last Week, Reps. Jamie Raskin, Don Beyer and Sen. Peter Welch introduced the Ranked Choice Voting Act, which seeks to implement ranked-choice voting (RCV) in all U.S. House and Senate elections. If passed, the act would reduce political polarization and allow more opportunities for women to run and win. Check out our research memo for more on how ranked-choice voting ensures representative election outcomes.
David Meyers writes in the Fulcrum:
In an RCV election, voters may rank multiple candidates in order of preference. The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, with that person’s support redistributed to voters’ second choices. The process continues until a candidate has a majority of the votes or there are only two candidates remaining.
Supporters believe this process, in addition to guaranteeing the winner has majority support, reduces partisanship because candidates need to appeal to voters beyond their party base in order to attract second- and third-place votes.
“In an increasingly polarized Congress, it’s become ever more difficult to produce pragmatic legislation and solutions that benefit the American people,” Beyer said. “By implementing ranked-choice voting, which ensures that winners are elected with majority popular support, we can encourage the election of leaders who build broad and diverse coalitions and are focused on solutions rather than divisive rhetoric. This would increase voter satisfaction and be a great win for a healthier democracy.”
Two states already use RCV for federal elections. Both Maine and Alaska use it in general elections, but Alaska’s general election follows an open primary in which all candidates run on the same ballot. The four candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party, advance to November.
Women Democracy Leaders Convene
Last week, we cohosted Black Women Lead alongside Higher Heights, Emily’s List, ActBlue, Emerge, and the Cultural Engagement Lab.
Our communications director Ashley Thurston, state partnerships manager Tamaya Dennard, and national partnerships manager Victoria Pelletier, joined elected officials and advocates for a night of networking and celebrating. Thurston also shared RepresentWomen’s mission with attendees. Thank you to everyone who joined!
Last week, the RepresentWomen staff gathered in Washington, D.C., for our annual staff retreat.
We came together to reflect on our achievements and challenges over the past year. During the retreat, we focused on setting strategic goals for the upcoming year while also participating in team bonding and relaxation activities.
I was also honored to attend the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act at the White House last week and was very glad to have the chance to chat with friend Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights, along with Brooke Shields.
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