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Is running for office right for you?

Find out now
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Find out if you’ve got what it takes to run for public office.

We see you.

You are the person yelling back at the news anchor because it’s so obvious the real story isn’t getting the attention it deserves.

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At bedtime, you obsessively check Twitter, following issues like America’s response to the pandemic, child care, #BLM, or what the heck is going on with public schools reopening—even though you know you probably should be meditating or whatever normal people do to sleep better.
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You worry that you might be “that person” because you have unfriended or unfollowed social media accounts—you just can’t compartmentalize when it comes to your political beliefs!
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You know you want to make a difference in your community. Maybe you already serve on a nonprofit, community, or church board, or you’re just the person everyone in town seems to call when they want the lowdown on what’s happening or help fixing an issue.

Maybe you’ve even been asked to run for political office. (Did you know the average woman candidate has to be asked 12 times before she throws her hat in the ring?)

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You worry you aren’t qualified, you’re too busy, or that you’ve got too many skeletons to be “electable,” even in your hometown.

But here’s the thing: Nothing is going to change until you and all the women out there like you stop waiting for an invitation. America needs you to take your seat at the damn table where decisions are being made. And that starts in your local community.

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of women make up the state legislatures

Until women make up 51% of state legislatures (right now we are 29%), 51% of mayors (currently 22% of mayors of towns over 30,000 people are women), and 51% of school boards, city councils, and all the other local elected offices out there, we’ve got work to do.

We understand that running for office can be overwhelming and self-doubt will bubble up for even the most qualified candidates. Today, we’re helping you think through your decision with our From Couch to Council Guide that removes much of the uncertainty out as you determine whether you are ready to run for office!

This guide offers a checklist of what you can do before deciding to run for office. It’s the list Caitlin wishes someone had given her before she ran for Missoula City Council at age 27. It covers much of what we’ve heard from other female candidates who are considering whether running is right for them. 

I’m ready to learn if running for office is for me.

What is Electable?

 

Electable is a new online membership site that helps women and non-binary people run, win and lead in local public office, particularly in the so-called “flyover states.” Co-founder Caitlin Copple Masingill became the first openly queer person elected to the Missoula City Council in 2012. Her passion for electing women to local public office led her to join forces with Dr. Christina Barsky to create Electable. Dr. Barsky is a faculty member in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Montana where she works with the current and future generations of public servants on solving complex public challenges, particularly when it comes to voting rights and electoral integrity.