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“50/50 by 2020” campaign encourages and educates females to run for office

84 women will be on the Iowa ballot this year – the most the state has seen

DAVENPORT, Iowa – 84 women will be on the Iowa ballot this year.  That’s the most the state has ever seen.

There’s been an ongoing campaign to get more women to campaign for state offices with a goal of 50% of Iowa offices held by women by the year 2020.

The campaign is spearheaded by former Iowa Senator Maggie Tinsman who says she was discriminated against during her term for being female.

Now, she encourages other women to run in Iowa to take the lead and run.

“52% of the voters in Iowa are female, so we think there should be more equality,” says Tinsman.

In her campaign “50/50 by 2020” her goal is to educate women on how to run for office and win.

“Unfortunately, we only have 23% of our legislators are female today.  Even Illinois has more females in their legislator than Iowa does,” Tinsman reports.

Right now, women are timid to put their name on the ballot.

The campaign encourages females to take risks and run because being a female is beneficial.

“What I want women to hear is you have a high high leverage for winning.  Here in Iowa over 100 women won and 80 ran and 84 own.  That’s a higher percentage than men,” Tinsman says.

Iowa currently has a female senator and a female governor.

“No man ever in politics has ever said “what if I lose?” when they are asked to run.  I mean zero.  Women, that’s the first thing they ask,” Tinsman stresses.

Tinsman believes any female can take charge.

“You know the issues because you live them and you don’t have to know anything more,” says Tinsman.

And even if a female candidate doesn’t win, she believes they can still be seen as a leader.

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