Why Emerge Arizona

Eighty-fourth in the world: that's where the United States ranks for women in elected office, behind Mexico, China and Pakistan. In fact, women make up just 17% of the U.S. Congress.

A pool of highly qualified Democratic candidates is being left untapped. Too often, women do not see themselves running for office - they don't think they are experienced enough or they just don't know where to start.

Emerge Arizona is changing that!

Emerge Arizona in a national context

Emerge Arizona is part of a national movement to address the under-representation of women in elected office at the local, state, and federal level. Although the network is only eight years old, there are Emerge affiliates in nine states: Arizona, California, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Click here to find out more about Emerge America.

Emerge already has a strong record of success:

• Emerge affiliates have trained over 500 Democratic women to run for office
• 41% of our graduates have run for elected office or been appointed to local boards or commissions
• 60% of those who have run for office have won!

Our growth is exponential: in 2011 alone, Emerge affiliates will train another 200 Democratic women to run for office!