2020 Breaking New Ground
WIRE's Vision
WIRE envisions a world where more women hold appointed and elected public office in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. WIRE is committed to expanding women's representation in local government today.
Best Wishes, Candidates!
We at WIRE are so proud of all of the 2020 candidates for deciding to run for public office. They have overcome many challenges of campaigning in a COVID 19 environment and their creativity and perseverance has been inspiring. Win or not, they are role models and heroes to so many of us. The entire WIRE family wishes them all great success on November 3.
2020 Breaking New Ground
In 2018 60% of the women who ran for nonpartisan local office won, which was an amazing feat. 2020 is a historic year. In this general election, 245 women qualified to run for nonpartisan public offices in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. 46% of the current candidates for local office are women. This is an enormous achievement bringing us closer to our vision of gender equality. WIRE is proud to have played a role in the campaigns of many of these 245 extraordinary women. To learn more about these candidates, you can find a list of names and websites here.
We invite you to help assist, promote, and/or support these women as they are on the leading edge of improving our local communities. We are not asking you to vote for these women just because they are female, but rather because WIRE believes that better public policy is made when ALL parts of our community are represented at the tables where important decisions are made.
WIRE's Momentum is Building
WIRE's mission includes helping candidates to organize effective campaigns with our goal to elect more women. We provide free political consulting through our workshops and mentor program. In 2020 WIRE:
Offered free campaign assistance to over 250 women
Mentored over 60 women
Conducted 9 workshops with close to 300 participants on critical topics including Fundraising, Campaigning in a COVID Environment, Leveraging Social Media, and Campaigning for School Board
Thank you to our Mentors, Board Members, Advisory Committee Members and Workshop Presenters for your candidate support!
What the Candidates are Saying
"I have GREATLY appreciated the support and tutelage of WIRE for Women over the last couple of months. Your Zoom-based campaign seminars have been fabulous and I felt ready to face the challenge of a campaign had it appeared. Thank you so much for your fine work."
"WIRE gave me inspiration and encouragement as I stepped out of my comfort zone to run for City Council."
"I am a big WIRE supporter and am taking full advantage of all of the Zoom training sessions and the mentor program. So great to have someone with campaign experience giving me honest and actionable feedback."
"WIRE Workshop - Great panelists - I came away with useful suggestions and ideas. I especially appreciated how all of the panelists recommended taking a few moments for yourself everyday. Wise advice from seasoned elected officials in our community!"
WIRE Looks Forward We are pleased to announce our Board for 2020/2021:
Kathy Anderson - President Diane Sheardown - Vice President Katherine Loarie - Treasurer Jessica Moore - Secretary Emily Lo Virginia Chang Kiraly Christina Laskowski Shelly Masur Vicki Veenker Karen Schwartz
Carol Mayer Marshall - Founder and President Emeritus
Launch of the New WIRE for Women Website
A long term goal has been reached!
Check out the new WIRE for Women website.
A few highlights include:
Candidate Resources - Materials and guidance on all aspects of campaigning
Events - Recordings of recent workshops on campaigning in a COVID environment, social media, and fundraising
NewsWire - WIRE announcements and articles about women running for public office and organizations working to increase the representation of women in government.
Get Involved - Ways you can volunteer to increase the number of women in appointed and elected offices.
**Special thanks to Katherine Loarie, WIRE Board Member, for her leadership.
What's Next
Election Results - WIRE will provide highlights and statistics
Celebrating Candidates - win or not, our candidates are our heroes who we will celebrate and keep our connection with as we make progress on our journey of gender equity.
In late November, we will host an event to celebrate newly elected candidates and provide tips for serving.
2021 Focus - Kick off Appointed Positions Program - recruit and help candidates assume an appointed position. Every community has commissions, boards, and advisory committees that need unique perspectives and insight. Ranging from art to energy, parks to planning, women can use an appointed position to make a significant contribution to local government and gain important experience in public service.
Big Years!
We need you! WIRE is seeking volunteers for marketing (small or big jobs like events, newsletters, invitations, social media and more!), technology support (website and data management), and external engagement (community outreach, volunteer recruitment). We need leaders in all these areas for the WIRE Board too. Let us know if you are interested by emailing info@wireforwomen.com. WIRE's goal is to increase our membership and we need your help - Please forward this newsletter to people who may be interested in our work, send us their names and emails, or ask them to subscribe (enter your email in the page footer) to our mailing list for WIRE updates.
"Fighting for the things that you care
about, but do it in a way that will lead
others to join you." RBG
No Time to Help?
WIRE runs a lean organization. Your donation goes to support crucial efforts to reach prospective candidates and volunteers and keep the organization running smoothly. Your donation helps fund our candidate forums, educational events, candidate and volunteer outreach, database maintenance, website and email, and marketing and organizational expenses. Funds do not support candidates. Please consider making a $100 or $50 donation today to help us assist as many women candidates as possible. THANK YOU for supporting women and our communities..
"Women belong in all places where
decisions are being made. It shouldn't
be that women are the exception." RBG
2020 Workshops
Thank you to our Extraordinary Presenters Who Shared Their Experience and Expertise
Campaign 101 Workshop - Co-Hosted with the Women’s Community Leadership Network - Carol Mayer Marshall - Founder, President Emeritus WIRE For Women, Carole Groom - San Mateo County Supervisor, Virginia Chang Kiraly - Vice President, San Mateo County Harbor District Board of Commissioners; Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board of Directors & WIRE for Women Board Member, Diane Papan - San Mateo City Council, Wynne Dubovoy - Professional Fundraiser & former WIRE for Women Board Member, Marie Chuang - City Council member, Hillsborough, Cari Templeton - Chair of Palo Alto's Planning and Transportation Commission & first time candidate for Palo Alto City Council, Julia Mates - Belmont City Council, Emily Beach - Mayor of Burlingame, Catherine Mahanpour - Mayor of Foster City, Alison Procter - San Mateo School District Board of Trustees, Linda Koelling - Member, Congestion Management Environmental Quality Committee, former Foster City Mayor & former WIRE for Women Board Member, Gina Papan - Millbrae City Council Member, Alicia Aguirre - Redwood City Council Member, Donna Colson - Burlingame City Council Member
Campaigning in a COVID Environment - Carol Mayer Marshall - Founder, President Emeritus WIRE for Women, Alison Cormack - Palo Alto City Council Member, Jean Blomo - Social Media Professional
Campaign Planning and Organization - Sally Leiber - Former Assemblywoman, former Mountain View Mayor & Councilwoman, Donna Colson - Burlingame City Councilwoman
Fundraising - Carol Mayer Marshall - Founder, President Emeritus WIRE for Women, Wynne Dubovoy - Professional Fundraiser & former WIRE for Women Board Member
Using Social Media for Campaigns - Marie Chuang - Hillsborough City Councilwoman, Nancy Reyering - President, San Mateo County Harbor District Board
How to Run an Effective Campaign for School Board - Jennifer DiBrienza - member of the Palo Alto Board, Shelly Masur - past member of the Redwood City School Board, current member of the Redwood City City Council & member of the WIRE for Women Board
Campaigning in a Physically Distant Environment - Amourence Lee - appointed incumbent & first time candidate for San Mateo City Council, Cari Templeton - Chair of Palo Alto's Planning and Transportation Commission & first time candidate for Palo Alto City Council
How to Spend the Last Month of Your Campaign - Alicia Aguirre - currently Redwood City Council member, former Trustee & President of the Redwood City Elementary School Board, Liz Gibbons - former Mayor & current Vice Mayor of the City of Campbell, Marico Sayoc - former Mayor & current Council Member of the Town Council of Los Gatos, Alison Cormack - Council Member of the City of Palo Alto
