We’re less than 40 days out from Election Day: Have you supported women running down-ballot yet? If not, here’s why you should. And if you have, here’s why you should give again, ASAP: 

If Democrats do well on Nov. 5, women can pick up legislative majorities or gain a critical mass in five states—Michigan, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and Minnesota—and make progress toward breaking Republican supermajorities in two more, Georgia and Tennessee.

That’s why today we’re introducing a new partnership with Vote Run Lead Action, whose goal is to elect women to 51 percent of state legislative seats. Please check out their slate and chip in $5 or more to each candidate.

This should be common knowledge, but in case it’s not: For decades women have voted more reliably—and more reliably Democratic—than men. In the last presidential election year, women were 52 percent of the electorate, and 57 percent of votes for Joe Biden. Current polling shows the gap will be as big or bigger this year. 

So shouldn’t we use this representation advantage to put more women in office—including in state legislatures and other down-ballot races that build the pipeline for higher office? 

In the last two election cycles, women’s representation in races at the national level has stagnated. And we’ve seen a decline in women running for federal office this year. But it’s a different story in state legislative races, where women’s numbers are growing. We don’t know exactly why this is, but it could have something to do with abortion becoming a more prominent state issue since Dobbs. 

This surge in women running for state legislatures gives us an opportunity to dramatically increase down-ballot representation this year—putting more women in place to run statewide and nationally, and ultimately stopping the gender gap backsliding in Congressional races.

Please help us capture this momentum for building the pipeline by giving to VRLA’s endorsed candidates.