This article originally appeared in WFSU News
By Tom Flanigan
Nationally, fewer than one out of five elected offices is held by women. An effort to shrink that political gender gap took place in Tallahassee over the weekend.
Most of the two-day long "Women Can Run" event took place at Tallahassee City Hall. That's where one of the presenters, Dorothy Inman Johnson, worked years ago as the first woman of color to be Tallahassee's mayor.
"I'm just so excited to see so many young women involved in the Women Can Run Conference," she said during Saturday's session.
Among the headline speakers was National League of Women Voters CEO Dr. Wylecia Wiggs Harris. She urged every participant to get involved in governance any and every way they can.
"It is not a spectator sport," she insisted. "And I think right now we need people to get off of the sidelines and we need to really fight hard for our democratic principles."
Among the nearly 100 participants was Jan Tucker Pedway.
"Well I didn't expect it to be this complicated," she remarked following a breakout session on state and federal campaign contribution law. "Just the nuances on how to get a campaign started and what's required is just a little overwhelming."
But it was a task Pedway now felt more comfortable tackling. The "Women Can Run" conference was hosted by the Oasis Center for Women and Girls.
