Why Emerge Maine

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.

Maine ranks in the top 15 for state legislatures, with a ranking of 13th in the nation in terms of women in elected office.

Currently, both of Maine's US Senators are women, however, no women serve in statewide elected office in Maine.

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 Maine is changing that!

Emerge Maine in a national context

Emerge Maine 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 seven 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 540 Democratic women to run for office;
• 37% of our graduates have run for elected office;
• 50% of these candidates have won!

Our growth is exponential: in 2009 alone, Emerge affiliates will train another 200 Democratic women to run for office!