With this fall’s midterm elections, the number of women serving in Congress could drop for the first time in a generation — a twist on a political season many had dubbed “the year of the woman.”

If large numbers of Democratic incumbents lose in November, as expected, many women could be replaced by men. Female candidates tend to do better in Democratic years, and 2010 is shaping up as a successful year for Republicans.

Women now hold 90 seats in Congress: 69 are Democrats and 21 are Republicans. After the November election, Congress could end up with as many as 10 fewer female members, prognosticators now say, the first backslide in the uninterrupted march of women to Washington since 1978.

The prospect of a setback has advocates of women’s rights in disbelief, but determined to try to prevent it. “That is not going to happen,” said Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, which is working to elect candidates of both sexes who support women’s equality.

While political attention has focused this year on Sarah Palin’s handpicked candidates and on a record number of Republican women running for House seats, primary losses have thinned their ranks to several dozen.

In fact, just four women are among the GOP’s 46 “Young Guns,” as the party calls its frontline challengers who are considered future leaders.

Republican campaign officials expect more female candidates will join the group as they prove themselves with the fundraising and organization needed to mount serious campaigns. But the bulk of “Republican candidates in these really promising seats are men,” said David Wasserman, a congressional analyst at the Cook Political Report who has been monitoring the situation.

Many of the vulnerable Democratic women this fall first arrived on the waves of the 2006 and 2008 elections, but now face tough odds in districts that have since soured on the party in power and on President Obama’s agenda.

Freshman Rep. Debbie Halvorson (D-Ill.), who won in 2008 in an increasingly split district long dominated by the GOP, is being challenged by a 32-year-old Iraq war veteran, Adam Kinzinger, one of the Young Guns.

Another endangered Democratic congresswoman, Betsy Markey, a freshman from Colorado, is being challenged by a fifth-generation farmer and state representative, Cory Gardner, who is also a Young Gun.

Republican officials in Washington say that their female candidates will make gains, pointing to Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby, who is running against Democratic Rep. Bobby Bright in Alabama, and ophthalmologist Nan Hayworth, who hopes to oust two-term Democratic Rep. John Hall in New York.

“The 2010 candidate recruitment class is a formidable one, and that includes a number of top-tier female candidates who will likely be called ‘congresswoman’ after November,” said Ken Spain, spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee.

In the Senate, if voters reject Democrats Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Patty Murray of Washington, both will probably be replaced by men.

Republican female candidates could pick up Senate seats in Connecticut, where World Wrestling Entertainment’s Linda McMahon is running for the open seat held by retiring Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, and in Nevada, where “tea party” favorite Sharron Angle wants to oust Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Yet overall, the numbers are not likely to overcome potential losses by women.

The fortunes of women in Congress have ebbed and flowed since the first, Jeannette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, took office in the House in 1917, three years before the 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote.

Women made mostly steady gains through the election of President Kennedy in 1960, when 20 women held office in Congress, according to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

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Women are more visible in the political realm than ever before: Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi, and Hillary Clinton have all made it to the top of their profession. To a casual observer, it may seem as though American women are breaking the proverbial glass ceiling. They’re not.

Despite our status as the world’s premier democracy, the United States ranks 74th in the world when it comes to female lawmakers, behind Venezuela (71), Austria (27), and Angola (10). Sure, other nations have quota systems to help women in the political ranks, but the United States, with all its ideals, shouldn’t need such things.

Perhaps sexism’s to blame, and family and child rearing is an obvious social barrier. Women remain the primary caregivers and can find it difficult to balance children with a career, not to mention a campaign staff. But familial obligations aside, plenty of women simply don’t feel competent enough for public office. “A man and a woman can have the same exact resume, but a woman won’t feel like she has the qualifications to run for office,” says Andrea Steele, whose organization, Emerge America, trains Democratic women how to run for office. “This is an idea that we have to go out and debunk.” Women focus on the qualifications they lack, and those prerequisites include an iron stomach.

“A lot of women find the mechanics of politics daunting and distasteful,” says Steele. “They say, ‘I have to fundraise? They’re going to probe into my personal life?’ The whole arena is off-putting.” Erin Vilardi from the nonpartisan White House Project also used the word “arena,” telling me, “When politics become partisan, uncivil, it turns women off. It doesn’t look like an arena where you can get something done.” Other times women just don’t feel wanted in political expeditions.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics, women are more likely to go into office after being recruited. “Most women state representatives ran for their first elective office because of encouragement, which echoes the findings of recent studies of candidates and potential candidates,” write the researchers in their report, “Poised to Run.” San Francisco School Board member Rachel Norton told me that she ran because a friend suggested it, and New Mexico State Representative Karen Gianni said the same thing. Even after being asked, however, sometimes women want a helping hand.

There are dozens of organizations, networks, and PACs dedicated to training and electing female lawmakers. Republicans have groups like the Wish List and the National Federation of Republican Women, and Democrats have their own groups, such as EMILY’s List and Steele’s Emerge America. by byWomen who enroll will learn the same standard skills men would learn: How to speak concisely, lessons on community organization, and tips on messaging—but from an entirely different perspective. “We look at it through a gendered lens,” says Vilardi of the nonpartisan White House Project. As Steele mentioned above, fundraising proves to be quite the foible for female politicians. In most circumstances, women are fantastic fundraisers; when it comes to asking for themselves, they buckle.

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Running Start is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to inspiring young women and girls to run for political office. The goal is to increase the number of women in the United States who serve in elected office by planting the seed early that women are needed in politics. The application process for the 2010 program begins January 1, 2010.

Next July, selected high school girls will spend five days in Washington, D.C. learning about leadership and politics. The Young Women’s Political Leadership Program (YWPL) introduces high school girls to the importance of women in political leadership. The program begins with a five-day retreat in July where the girls participate in workshops led by experts in the field on public speaking, debate, messaging, networking, on-camera media training, and advocacy. Young women candidates and elected officials speak to the girls about what it is like to run as a young woman, how to get involved on a local level, and why they feel it is important to get more women elected.

The girls are in communication with Running Start several times during the year to follow up on program initiatives. The goal of the program is to encourage the girls to channel their leadership into politics.

For more information, e-mail: info@runningstartonline.org or visit the Running Start website at: http://www.runningstartonline.org.

Highly qualified women have declared their candidacy and are running for their state’s highest executive office.  Among the 29 female candidates, the top, most viable female gubernatorial candidates include:

Kim McMillan – D- Tennessee; former Tennessee State Representative, Majority Leader.

Kay Ivey – R- Alabama; Alabama state Treasurer 2002-present.

Jan Brewer* – R – Arizona; Incumbent Arizona Governor.

Meg Whitman – R- California; businesswoman.

Susan Bysiewicz – D Connecticut; current Connecticut Secretary of State.

Deb Markowitz* – D – Vermont; current Vermont Secretary of State.

Alex Sink – D – Florida; businesswoman and Florida Chief Financial Officer.

Karen Handel – R – Georgia; current Georgia Secretary of State.

Sharon Ullman – R- Idaho; current Ada County Commissioner.

Alma Wheeler Smith – D- Michigan; current State Representative from Michigan’s 54^th District.

Diane Denish – D – New Mexico; current New Mexico Lt. Governor.

Nikki Haley – R – South Carolina; current South Carolina State Representative.

Kay Bailey Hutchinson – R – Texas; current U.S. Senator from Texas.

Barbara Lawton – D – Wisconsin; current Wisconsin Lt. Governor.

Margaret Anderson Kelliher* – DFL – Minnesota; current Minnesota Speaker of the House.

Libby Mitchell*  – D – Maine; current President of the Maine Senate.

*Indicates primary challenge from other female(s) candidates.

Data courtesy of The Center for American Women and Politics.

Christine Doody Doherty was elected to the Eastchester New York Town Council last November.  This might seem unremarkable except for the fact that the same party had ruled the town board since 1997.  Prior to her election the town board was composed of five Republicans (4 council seats and 1 supervisor) and three of the four council seats had been appointed by the current administration rather than elected by the people.  Another fact making Christine’s victory so surprising is that the town overwhelmingly voted for John McCain in the presidential election.

Perhaps what set Doherty apart is that she ran a positive campaign that focused on her bi-partisan perspective to town government, broadening representation, giving a voice to all residents, and strengthening democracy with competitive elections.

Since taking office she has followed through on these campaign promises.  She has made improvements in how residents receive information about upcoming board meetings as well as board vacancies in order to promote more citizen participation in government.  She has also sponsored a proposal to establish an Environmental Advisory Committee to promote environmental education and awareness for the town and its residents, to study the environmental impact of ongoing town government practices, and to consider how to develop more environmentally responsible practices by the residents and businesses of Eastchester.

Doherty’s election was in a way history repeating itself.  Her father, Jim Doody, was a former town supervisor of Eastchester.  When he was elected in 1983 he was the first Democrat to be elected in Eastchester in 70 years.  The day he moved into his office he discovered that the previous administration had left him one pencil and empty file cabinets.  This experience made a lasting impression on Christine and taught her that a public servant shouldn’t be concerned with politics or power, but rather genuine concern for all people.

Considered part of the New York Metropolitan area, Eastchester New York is located just up state of New York City in Westchester County with a population of over 31,000.

Although she was just elected this past November, Doherty has already started campaigning for re-election this coming November.  When asked what she considered to be an important campaign issue Doherty noted, “We could do better on giving information to our residents—for example posting information on vacancies on various boards on our website.”  She went on to say, “When the public is engaged and informed, our government is more effective.  When you reach out to voters, you find out what’s important to them, and when people understand their government, democracy is strengthened.”

Louisville Kentucky businesswoman Kimberly Greenwell has announced that she is running for the office of state representative in the 33rd House District.  She is challenging an incumbent who has held the office since 1996.  Kentucky currently ranks near the bottom in terms of women in politics with just 15% in the state legislature.

“I am running because we are at a critical point in Louisville and in Kentucky. It’s time for leadership we can count on to improve the quality of life and to implement meaningful economic and educational policy for our community. It’s time for a change! I will be a strong advocate for working families, labor, for our teachers, our signature industries and natural resources. I will be the kind of leader who will do everything in my power to work cooperatively with leaders to move our district and Kentucky forward,” said Greenwell.

Her campaign will kick-off Wednesday, September 2nd from 6 pm to 8pm with an open fundraising event at The Sawyer Hayes Community Center in E.P. “Tom” Sawyer Park, where residents of Louisville’s 33rd district can come out and meet Greenwell.

Greenwell worked for seven years in broadcast media sales with WAVE 3 – TV and is currently an interactive media consultant with Metro Mojo of Louisville. She has been actively involved in community service projects including: Susan G. Komen Foundation Pink Tie Ball, Children’s Hospital Foundation Alliance, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Humane Society, Strike Against Cancer Committee, and the American Heart Association.

The campaign website is http://www.KimberlyGreenwell.com, where people can learn more about Greenwell, sign up for campaign updates, volunteer, and contribute by check or credit card.

In the six months since she announced, Jennifer Brunner has signed up over 1,000 volunteers and thousands of supporters by asking one simple question, “Who has the best chance of beating Rob Portman?” asks Brunner.  Her exemplary experience as Secretary of State as she cleaned up Ohio’s election mess, has made her a top contender and a favorite among many who are looking for positive, fresh leadership.

In July the campaign formed a grassroots organization called “The Brunner Brigade”.  The Brigade network is made up of county and precinct organizers charged with mobilizing support across the state.  Already county captains have been named in 74 of Ohio’s 88 counties.

The Brunner campaign strategies must be working—polls show the primary race locked in a dead heat.  Brunner has been endorsed by many traditional Democratic labor interests as well as national women’s organizations including:  The Women’s Campaign Forum, The Feminist Majority and the National Organization for Women (NOW).

Recognized for her efforts in election reform, Jennifer Brunner was the recipient of John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage award following the 2008 elections.  “I was honored and humbled to have received this significant and meaningful award,” said Brunner. It was with gratefulness that I accepted the award, trying to comprehend that from difficult work often filled with emotionally charged controversy and strife, can emerge honor and dignity in the attempt to move forward the human causes of fairness, equality and respect.”  Brunner received the award for her work in helping the people of Ohio trust the voting process again.

Brunner will need all the courage she can muster in her endeavor to become Ohio’s first woman U.S. Senator.  Currently there are just 17 women in the U.S. Senate and Ohio has five women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Republican Nancy Hollister briefly served as Governor of Ohio ascending from the position of Lt. Governor when George Voinovich resigned to take his seat in the U.S. Senate.  No woman has ever been elected governor in Ohio.

One message Brunner is delivering is that women have to not only talk the talk, they need to walk the walk.  “If we tell our daughters they can be anything they want to be, we need to prove it to them.”  And with the support of women across Ohio, she just might do it.

To contribute to Jennifer Brunner’s campaign, visit her new website at:  http://www.jenniferbrunner.com/

In order to run a successful political campaign there are several key staff members that are crucial to the success of the campaign:  campaign manager, finance chairperson/consultant, treasurer, communications director or press secretary, field director, volunteer coordinator, and scheduler.

The campaign manager is responsible for overseeing the entire campaign and should be the first person the candidate hires, long before she even announces her intention to run for public office.  In a small local campaign, the campaign manager is often the only paid staff member and is responsible for every aspect of the campaign that is not covered by the candidate, consultants or volunteers.  In a local campaign the campaign manager is also often the lead strategist.  In a larger, perhaps federal level or statewide campaign, political consultants serve as campaign strategists and the campaign manager coordinates and manages the other campaign staff members.  A campaign manager is involved with the development of the campaign plan and has the ultimate responsibility of executing the campaign plan.  As the primary representative for the campaign, second only to the candidate, a good campaign manager should be able to easily analyze situations and make quick but well thought out decisions.

The finance chairperson is another key staff member or consultant to the campaign who should be brought on board long before the candidate makes her formal announcement that she is running.  The importance of fundraising cannot be understated.  Raising money is absolutely critical to the success of any campaign whether it is small or large.  The finance chair will help with putting together a finance plan that outlines how much money is to be raised and how it is to be raised.  The finance chair will help raise money and will help find others who will help with fundraising.  Techniques used to raise funds vary from campaign to campaign based on the office being sought and what is needed to run a successful campaign.  Small campaigns will often have small casual fundraising events as well as candidate call-time.  Larger campaigns might include high-priced sit-down dinners, house parties, a structured e-mail campaign asking for contributions, as well as candidate call-time.

The campaign treasurer is responsible for collecting and recording of all campaign contributions and expenditures and should be one of the individuals listed on the campaign bank account.  The treasurer should also check with the Board of Elections regarding finance reporting deadlines.  Your opponent will undoubtedly be checking Campaign Filing Statements, so it is important to have a treasurer who is detail oriented and who has at least some basic accounting skills.

The communications director or press secretary manages the campaign’s relationship with the media.  He or she will construct and distribute press releases on behalf of the campaign as well as organize press conferences.  The press secretary also monitors the media for stories about the candidate or other stories that might be relevant to the campaign.

The field director is responsible for building and maintaining a database of volunteers and supporters.  The field director is also responsible for other field organizers.  The field department is responsible for direct voter contact through phone calls, canvassing, and local events.  The purpose is to make direct voter contact about the candidate in order to get the candidates message out to voters.  The results of the voter contact are then used to help further increase voter persuasion and bring out more voters on Election Day.

A volunteer coordinator can be part of your field team and can play an extremely important role in your campaign.  A volunteer coordinator will recruit and train volunteers to make phone calls and do canvassing on behalf of the campaign.  A friendly and cheerful disposition is a good quality for a volunteer coordinator to have.  Volunteers are donating their time to the campaign, so having a volunteer coordinator who can foster a fun, social, and friendly environment is helpful.

Some campaigns will have a scheduler.  This person arranges coffees, fundraising parades, festivals and other campaign activities on the candidate’s calendar.  The scheduler also arranges canvassing activities for the candidate.  A good scheduler is detail oriented, organized, and good at follow-up.  In a small campaign, the campaign manager likely takes on the role of scheduler.

Not every campaign can afford to hire someone to fill each of these roles, but every campaign can find someone to volunteer to work in these roles.  As the candidate it is important to find people you trust in order to manage these key positions, as they are a key component to running a successful campaign.

Women in Politics, by Eliza Goehl, guest contributor ElectWomen Magazine

Why is women’s participation in politics an important issue to consider? Most people don’t understand how few women are involved in politics. Here are some of the facts: only 17% of Congress is made up of women! Out of the one hundred members in the Senate, only sixteen of them are women.  In the House of Representatives there are four-hundred thirty-five Representatives, and only 72 of them are women. This is in a country where women account for 51% of the population. The United States has never had a woman President or Vice President. The U.S. is ranked 84^th in the world for women’s participation. During the past 220 years, only 2% of Congressional seats have been held by women. At the current increase rate, it will be the year 2076 before women achieve equal representation in Congress!

When I started this project my main goal was to meet some women who have experience in politics as well as attend city and county council meetings to see what the real legislative process is all about. I contacted Regina Moore, the Bloomington City Clerk. This is an elected position that is responsible for maintaining the city seal, working with city council, and creating an atmosphere were the community feels welcome to participate in the city government. Regina encouraged me to attend the Democratic Women’s Caucus Meetings, a large group of women who work together to support each other in becoming more active in politics. They also work to inspire young women to get involved in politics. Regina invited me to join her at several events that became an important part of my experience.  

For the experiential component of my project I paged for Vi Simpson, attended multiple Democratic Women’s Caucus meetings, observed City Council meetings, and joined the Democratic Women’s Caucus at a special fundraising event, An Evening with Madeline May Kunin.

On January 26, 2009, I applied and was selected to page for state Senator Vi Simpson.  Serving as a page is an opportunity that is offered to kids between the ages 12 and 18. The purpose is to show young people how the legislative process works. Pages are responsible for delivering letters and other communication between Senators. When I first arrived at the Indiana Statehouse, I walked though the security check point with metal detectors and luggage screening. It was strange to imagine walking into work every morning and being searched.  This made me realize how different it was from our local city council chambers. Next, I signed in and got my access card. Another sign of “the real deal” is that before entering a new room you have to scan your access card.  For a portion of the day we learned interesting facts about the Statehouse, delivered sealed notes to Senators, and took a tour of the building. In the afternoon we watched a Senate session. I was expecting people to be sitting in their chairs and everyone taking turns talking. I was wrong. During the entire session, Senators were walking around the room, eating, drinking, and even checking their emails on laptops. As bills were announced for second reading, people would continue conversations not even breaking to agree that the bill could be moved on to third reading. I was introduced to Vi Simpson after the Senate session and we had our picture taken behind the podium along with Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman.  Vi Simpson is an extremely successful female politician, and I am so glad that I got to see her job in action.

Another amazing part of my project was getting to know so many fabulous women at the Democratic Women’s Caucus Meetings. A caucus is similar to a committee; however, it implies that the group is political. The Democratic Women’s Caucus is a group of women working to promote women’s role in politics. They support women who are becoming, wishing to become, or already are involved in politics. The Caucus holds a breakfast meeting the first Friday of every month at the Village Deli.  When I first heard about the meetings and was invited to join them, I was expecting about 25 women to be there sharing information and planning upcoming events. Instead, I was surprised to find that it is more similar to a show than a meeting. There are over 50 people at each meeting, and they are not just Democratic women; there are many men at these meetings as well. Most people think of politicians as being serious. Of course when they are working, they are usually productive, but they are also very funny and welcoming. These meetings focus on getting to know your community government, your state government, and your federal government and what role females play in these levels of politics. It is inspiring to see so many women working together for what they believe in, especially in a town as small as Bloomington. 

Another thing the Democratic Women’s Caucus does is plan events that host different important people to come share their information and experiences in Bloomington. I was very lucky to attend an event that was sponsored by the Democratic Women’s Caucus, An Evening with Madeline Kunin. Ms. Kunin was the governor of Vermont from 1985-1991, she was also the first and only female governor of that state. In addition she was also the first Jewish Governor of Vermont and the first female Jewish governor in the country, and served as the Ambassador to Switzerland from 1996 to 1999 under the Clinton Administration. During the month of March, National Women’s History Month, Madeleine Kunin came to Indiana University’s Student Union. When I arrived, I talked with Julie Thomas, who was recently elected to County Council, and who is another strong woman I am lucky to know. As we walked around the reception, she pointed out important people and introduced me to many of them. I was honored to hear “I’ve heard of you” from many of them. I am sure I blushed every time. I was introduced to Madeleine Kunin and she signed “To Eliza, you are our future! Madeline M. Kunin” on my copy of her latest book Pearls, Politics and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead.  In the book she talks about her experience as a woman in politics and gives advice for women wishing to be politically active. Hearing her talk in a room full of successful politicians was extremely inspiring.

There are many opportunities to become involved in Bloomington; however, I never realized how much political action there is in this small town. The best part of my project was discovering a whole new side of this small town; I now feel like part of the democratic sisterhood in Bloomington. It is amazing what life changing experiences can come from one email or phone call. I am glad to know that there is a strong group of people working to involve women in political movements. I am now more excited than ever to go confidently in the direction of my dreams.  

2009 is an off year for elections in most states, but there are important statewide and municipal elections in several states.   Women are running for state legislative seats in Virginia and New Jersey and for the top executive post in a few of the nation’s largest cities.  Judy Chu was a top 2009 candidate but she won her special election to California’s 32nd Congressional on Tuesday with 62% of  the vote.  Chu becomes the ecome the first Chinese American woman in the House of Representatives.  

Updated  hottest 2009 women candidate races:

#1 – Virginia Lt. Governor

Jody Wagner won her primary election on June 9th and is running in Virginia’s general election on November 3, 2009 for Lt. Governor against Republican Lt. Governor Bill Bolling.  Wagner served as state treasurer and secretary of finance until August 2008. Jody Wagner is a small business owner from Virginia Beach, VA. 

#2 – Houston Mayor

Annise Parker is a Houston-area politician currently holding office as the Controller of the City of Houston. This position is second only to the Mayor. Previously, she served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council since 1997. Parker was victorious in her run for controller in 2003. She ran unopposed in 2005 and 2007; as of September 2008, she is into her final term.

Parker faces Peter Brown, Gene Locke, Roy Morales and TJ Huntley.  If elected, Annise Parker would become the 2nd female mayor of Houston.

#3 – Atlanta Mayor

The 2009 race for Atlanta, Georgia’s top official is currently a three-way contest.  The candidates are Atlanta CouncilmemberMary Norwood, State Senator Kasim Reed, and City Councilmember Lisa Borders.  Borders announced late, on April 2, 2009 after being urged by many political heavyweights and is considered to hold a slight edge over the other candidates although she trails in frundraising.  Atlanta currently has a female mayor, Mayor Shirley Franklin.  The election is November 3, 2009 and if a run-off is necessary, it will be December 1st.

#4 Syracuse Mayor

In a crowded field for Syracuse mayor, Stephanie Miner is the only female candidate.  With three Democrats and two Republicans, there will be a primary election on September 15th with the general election being held on November 3rd.  Stephanie Miner won the Democratic designation by an overwhelming 73% of the vote of the party delegates.  This nomination does not prohibit a primary election from happening.  In addition to party support, Stephanie Miner leads the pack in the latest fundraising reports. 

#5 Memphis Mayor

Following the recent resignation of the sitting mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, a special election has been called for October 27, 2009.  Carol Chumney, who narrowly lost the race for mayor in 2007 has thrown her hat into the ring along with seven men.

#6 California’s 10th Congressional District Seat 

A special election has been called for September 1st for a primary election to replace Rep. Ellen Tauscher.  14 contenders from all parties appear on the ballot together.  California Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan is the endorsed EMILY’s List candidate and is the only Democratic woman in the race.  In the July filing reports, Joan posted the largest fundraising numbers with over $300,000 raised.