More women should run for public office. That’s what three Tallahassee groups are saying as they hold a free event for women on Saturday, July 21, at Tallahassee City Hall, 300 S. Adams St.
Although women make up about half the population, they hold only 17 percent of U.S. Congress seats and similarly disproportionate numbers of state and local offices.
Haley Cutler, of Tallahassee's Oasis Center for Women and Girls, says, studies show, it’s not because women can’t win an election, but because women are half as likely as men to even run. She says, she hopes the event starts a dialogue that makes more local women consider themselves viable candidates.
“Talk to people you know," she says. "If you know a woman who you think would be able to make a difference in our community, encourage her to consider elected leadership.”
Cutler says, Saturday's event is the first of several planned in the "Women Can Run!" series, organized by the Oasis Center, Leadership Tallahassee and the Florida League of Women Voters, and sponsored by the Knight Foundation. She says, the program is non-partisan and not based on any specific issues. Women of all political affiliations are encouraged to participate.
The women who have registered so far include college students and retirees. And several spots are still available. To attend, send an e-mail to Haley Cutler, haley.oasis@comcast.net, with your name, e-mail address and phone number. The day-long event starts at 8 a.m.