01 Jun The Unique Perspective Women Bring to Political Leadership
Some people ask: shouldn’t we just focus on getting good people to run for office, regardless of gender? It is a fair question — and the answer is yes, absolutely. We need qualified, principled people of all backgrounds serving in public office.
But here is the fuller picture: women have historically been excluded from political participation, and many still face cultural and social barriers today. That matters — because women do bring distinct perspectives to leadership, and those perspectives are systematically underrepresented.
More women in office is not just a fairness issue. It produces better outcomes for everyone.
Women Legislators Champion Families and Communities
Research consistently shows that women politicians are more likely than their male counterparts to sponsor legislation focused on education, child care, and family health. This is not because women only care about “women’s issues” — it is because their life experiences give them firsthand insight into the challenges families navigate every day.
Latter-day Saint women understand this instinctively. As one elected official put it:
“As a Latter-day Saint woman I often think I’m serving the world, not because they’re all members of my church — in fact, most of them aren’t — I’m serving them because I’m a member of a church and I believe in giving back to my community.”
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— Candace Andersen, Contra Costa County Supervisor
Women Lawmakers Are Highly Effective
It is not just that women bring different perspectives — studies indicate that female legislators are as effective or more effective than their male counterparts. Congresswomen in the U.S. sponsor and co-sponsor more legislation than their male colleagues and bring more federal funding back to their districts. This may be tied to the collaborative leadership style that many women naturally bring to governance.
In short: when women lead, communities benefit.
We Need More Voices at the Table
The numbers reveal a significant gap. At various levels of government across the country, women hold roughly 1 in 4 political offices — including Congress, where women make up about 27% of seats. That means the majority of decisions affecting women, children, and families are being made by bodies that do not reflect who those decisions impact.
Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson of Utah put it plainly:
“We should absolutely be embracing the fact that we need more women in public office, more women involved in local government, more women involved in the public square in any capacity.”
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— Deidre Henderson, Lieutenant Governor of Utah
When Women Run, They Win
Here is the most important data point of all: when women run for office, they win at the same rate as men. The gap in representation is not caused by voters rejecting female candidates. It is caused by fewer women putting their names on the ballot in the first place.
The barriers women face are largely pre-candidacy: the internal hesitation, the cultural messaging that says “that’s not for someone like me,” the lack of encouragement or mentorship. Those are real barriers — but they are also ones we can address together.
Your Perspective Is Needed
Latter-day Saint women have a distinctive voice to bring to the public square. You have seen your communities from the ground level. You have advocated for neighbors, organized resources, navigated systems, and led without fanfare. You know what works and what is broken — and you know how to build coalitions to fix it.
That lived wisdom belongs in our city halls, school boards, and legislatures. We need women — and men — at the table to make sure that all perspectives are heard and all communities have a seat at decision-making tables.
The seat at the table does not fill itself. It is yours to take.
Ready to bring your perspective to public life? Reach out to Project Elect at projectelectwomen.org — we will help you take the first step.
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