Sunday, November 3, 2019
What is Elect Her: Aggie Women Win?
Five years ago, Texas A&M University was selected as one of only 50 host sites for Elect Her-Campus Women Win, the only program in the country that encourages and trains college women to run for student government and future political office. Elect Her addresses the need to expand the pipeline for women running for office and to diminish the long-standing political leadership gender gap. This one-day nonpartisan conference allows Aggie women to engage in conversations about how to develop a message, connect with constituents, and learn from dynamic speakers about the ins and outs of the campaign trail. Past Elect Her speakers include Rep. Sarah Davis (R - Houston), Rep. Ina Minjarez (D - San Antonio), Rep. Nicole Collier (D - Fort Worth), and Rep. Mary Ann Perez (D - Houston) of the Texas House of Representatives.
The National Elect Her Program is run by Running Start, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young women and girls about the importance of politics and imbuing them with the skills they need to be leaders.
Why is Elect Her Necessary on our Campus?
This incredibly important opportunity is vital for our campus in order to increase the number of women in the Texas A&M Student Government Association and at all levels of government. For the last several years, the percentage of women in Student Senate, the Texas State Legislature, and in the U.S. Congress has remained in the high teens to low 20s. We were very excited to see Hannah Wimberly, an Elect Her Alumna, elected the first female Student Body President in 15 years. Some of our other distinguished Elect Her Alumnae include both the 2017 Class President, Claire Wimberly, and the 2019 Class President, Amy Sharp. Research shows that engaging in leadership opportunities at an early age is vital to a woman’s overall political success. When the American University’s Women & Politics Institute surveyed women serving in the U.S. Congress, they found that over 53% of the congresswomen served in student government in high school, college, or both. Elect Her addresses these issues and establishes a pipeline for women in politics. 98% of the 2016 Elect Her class felt that the workshop positively impacted their decision to run for office in the future, and 100% said that they would recommend the workshop to a friend.
What Does an Elect Her Conference Look Like?
Elect Her is a one-day conference typically held in early to mid-November. Campus administrators and students collaborate with Running Start staff to plan the conference each year. Participants practice hands-on campaign skills, hear from inspiring local speakers, and discuss research on women in government.
2019 Elect Her: Aggie Women Win Conference Agenda
How are Students Admitted to an Elect Her Conference?
Students are admitted to the Elect Her: Aggie Women Win Conference through two mechanisms.
Nomination
Anyone may nominate students for the Elect Her Conference. Self-nominations are not permitted. If a nominated student accepts their nomination, they are automatically registered for the conference. Nominations will open on this website on Monday, September 23 and are due on Monday, October 28. All nominators will be notified regarding the status of their nominated student's registration on Thursday, October 24. Nominators are encouraged to follow-up with their students if they have not registered by that time.
Nominated students must complete an online registration form to accept their nomination. Individuals who have been nominated for Elect Her will be notified via email of their nomination and be provided a link to online registration. Nominated students must register online no later than Tuesday, October 29 at 8 a.m.
Application
All Texas A&M University students are welcomed to apply for admission into the Elect Her Conference. Online registration will open on this site on Monday, September 23. Applications are due no later than Wednesday, October 30.
While Elect Her is focused on female-identified students, students of all genders are welcomed to attend. The conference is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. If you have any questions about applying or registering for Elect Her, please contact Heather Wheeler, Director of Gender & Sexual Diversity for the Offices of the Dean of Student Life, at heatherw@studentlife.tamu.edu or 979.845.8784.
Elect Her Timeline
| September 23, 2019 | Application & Nomination Forms Online |
| October 9, 2019 | First Round of Students & Nominators Notified of Acceptance |
| October 21, 2019 | Nominations Due |
| October 23, 2019 | Applications & Nominated Student Registrations Due |
| October 25, 2019 | Second Round of Students & Nominators Notified of Acceptance |
| November 3, 2019 | Elect Her: Aggie Women Win Conference |