2018 Election

Why We Need to Let Parents Use Campaign Funds for Childcare

During my recent reelection campaign, I utilized my political campaign funds to pay for childcare for my toddler, Kayden. California—alongside Colorado, New Hampshire, New York and Utah—passed bills in 2019 to allow campaign funds to be used for campaign-related childcare expenses. As a beneficiary of this legislation, I know firsthand the positive impact these laws have on working moms running for office.

Now, more states are trying to ensure that their political candidates are able to use campaign funds for childcare.

Is the Pipeline of Women Running for Office Broken?

A recent surge of women candidates gives the misleading impression that significant change is afoot. The fact is, women are still very unlikely to run or consider running for elected office, according a new study which shows the political ambition gap between men and women interested in running for office is virtually unchanged in the 20 years.

If the status quo is to change, the strategy for building a pipeline of women willing to run must change.

In North Carolina, Black Voters’ Mail-In Ballots Far More Likely to Be Rejected Than Any Other Race

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In North Carolina, Black Voters’ Mail-In Ballots Far More Likely to Be Rejected Than Any Other Race

According to a new analysis of 2018 mail-in absentee ballot data from the State Board of Elections, ballots mailed by Black voters during the midterms were more than twice as likely as those sent in by white voters to be rejected. This disparity—similar to gaps in other states—raises concerns about the equity of ballot counting and whether systemic racism and voter disenfranchisement may be tainting elections.

So far, 2020 shows a similar pattern.