SC Women in Leadership Hosts Annual Multi-Partisan Campaign Training for Women

Press Release

SC Women in Leadership (WIL) is hosting their annual Spring Training multi-partisan campaign training for women as a four-workshop series in six locations around South Carolina, as well as virtually, beginning February 11, 2023. Multi-partisan presenters with extensive campaign experience will introduce women candidates and campaign volunteers to what they need to know to run for office including choosing your office, building a campaign team, finance and fundraising, messaging and the media, helping with a campaign, and practical advice from former and current female candidates and elected officials. 

WIL is a statewide multi-partisan organization working to increase the number of women in elected office and on public appointed boards and commissions in South Carolina. While women represent 51% of the population of South Carolina, the state dropped to 48th in the nation for the proportion of women in the state legislature after the November 2022 election, with only 14% of our General Assembly composed of women and only one woman elected to a statewide position. From the school board to the Governor’s Mansion, we need more qualified women to run for elected office in the 2023 and 2024 election cycles.

“Women don’t run for a lot of reasons,” says S.C. State Senator Katrina Shealy. “Women don’t run because of the financial part. It’s hard to raise money. Women don’t run because of their family. … You know, they’re the ones who know what a budget is, buy the groceries, teach the kids. Why don’t you (men) go home and do that, and let your wife come up here?” Research also shows that women don’t run because no one asks them to. Women are less likely than men to be recruited to run for office, so WIL is asking and providing training, resources, and information to help women overcome real and perceived social and cultural barriers to leadership.

WIL encourages all women who have thought about running for office to attend, even if a run is a ‘maybe’ in the distant future. Spring Training will help potential women candidates decide if a run for office is the right move and help them plan, if the answer is ‘yes.”

Schedule
Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
February 11, 2023 – Organizing Your Campaign: Choose Your Office & Build Your Team
February 25, 2023 – Campaign Finance & Fundraising
March 11, 2023 – Crafting & Managing Your Message
March 18, 2022 – Panel Discussion with Former Women Candidates & Elected Officials

Locations
The workshops will be offered concurrently at multiple regional locations across South Carolina, as well as virtually. Participants are encouraged to attend in person to take advantage of the opportunity to network with other potential candidates and campaign volunteers in their geographic area.

Columbia
Cathy Novinger Girl Scout Leadership Center
1107 Williams St, Columbia, SC 29201

Charleston
The Citadel – Bastin Hall
79 Hagood Ave, Charleston, SC 29403

PeeDee Area
The Continuum
208 W. Main St, Lake City, SC 29560

Greenville
Furman 101
101 N. Main St, Greenville, SC  29601

Greenwood
Piedmont Technical College – James C. Self Conference Center
620 Emerald Rd N, Greenwood, SC 29646

Spartanburg
One Spartanburg
105 N Pine St, Spartanburg, SC 29302

Registration is $25 per session, or bundle all four sessions for $100. Registration includes refreshments and a t-shirt. Some scholarships are available. Visit scwomenlead.net/event/spring-training-2023 for full session descriptions, presenter bios, and to register.

Spring Training is made possible through the support of Duke Energy, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Ready to Run at the Center for American Women in Politics, and Pivotal Ventures.

About SC Women in Leadership
SC Women in Leadership (WIL) is a statewide multi-partisan group of women working together across differences to move South Carolina forward by informing, inspiring, and involving women in leadership. WIL’s work sharing information about, making connections to, and encouraging women’s engagement in local and state civic leadership is moving South Carolina forward socially, economically, educationally, and environmentally.  SC WIL believes that as talented women with diverse and inclusive backgrounds step up to lead and to govern, gender and racial equality, as well as community equity can, at last, become a reality. SC WIL’s vision is for women to be represented at every level of leadership including elected officials, appointed government boards and commissions, and as active volunteers and advocates in the community. Visit scwomenlead.net to see how SC WIL is working to fill the pipeline with women, increase fair voting, and reduce polarization. 

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