There’s an adage in the business world that you can’t manage what you can’t measure. In many ways the same could be said for politics as it relates to gender equality. As organizations like BLFF and WPI work toward a day when women will have equal representation at all levels of government, it is important that we understand and examine voting behavior, media treatment, and the political strategies at play in an historic election with six women running for president and countless others running for Congress. By shining a light on issues like the perception of electability, press coverage, and the way campaigning is rapidly evolving, we hope to spark conversations and provide thoughtful analysis of the gender dynamics shaping this election cycle.

Storytelling and candidate narratives are dramatically different than they were even four years ago. We will take a close look at how candidates present themselves to voters, and how they highlight different policy issues and experiences in their outreach. Similarly, we will explore what motivates women to run for office at a moment more women are becoming engaged in government and elections, whether it’s volunteering on campaigns and grassroots organizing or raising money for candidates.

We are thrilled to be working with the well-respected team at the BLFF, whose work in this space is seen as such a valuable resource to the media, academics and the public that cares deeply about the important issues surrounding gender equality.