Women Running for Office

There are plenty of articles on why women don't run for political office. A study by the Brookings Institute says women don't like the rigors of a campaign. Women don't get recruited to run like men do. Women have less freedom to balance work and family obligations with a political career. Women are less likely to feel qualified to run for office. Women don't perceive a fair political environment. Who knows why more women don't run for political office. There are plenty of men running for political office that aren't qualified to run. Whether the political environment is fair or not is debatable.

Running for office requires money and if you don't have some political connections or help, financing a campaign is going to be tough. I would think that is a problem for both men and women. There are 4 women in the local election this year, two are running against one another in the central district and the other two are running for the at large B seat and the southeast district seat. I hope we see 3 women on the council at the end of election night next week.

I think it is harder to run for an at large seat than it is running for a district seat. Running city wide is a big challenge, especially if you are running for the first time. Christine Erickson is running against Denny Pierson for the At Large B seat. Christine doesn't fit the reasons cited in the Brookings Institute study on why women don't run for political office. She's figured out how to balance work and family obligations with a political career when she served in the State Legislature.

I have spent some time with Christine and have come away with the opinion that she will be a good asset on the City Council. She comes to the opportunity with little baggage and preconceived notions. She knows what issues are important, to both her and the citizens she wants to serve. I must admit that I have a special bond for the Ericksons and their extended family. I have known her husband, his siblings and his mother for decades. That alone is a huge endorsement for me. But I know that people need to know more than that to vote for Christine Erickson.

She is a confident, well spoken woman. She has a clear vision and she is committed to serving this community.

Christine is committed to Sioux Falls:
• Small business owner
• Involved mother of three boys
• Thrives on collaborating with others to find workable
solutions

Christine will fight to:
• Improve and maintain roads
• Eliminate irresponsible government borrowing
• Make government smarter and more sensible
• Promote economic development and good paying jobs

 Check out her website to find out more about her. I encourage you to vote for Christine Erickson on April 8th. She will serve this community well and will bring a new and fresh perspective to the City Council.