The Utah Women and Leadership Project recently shared the results of a survey of Utah women who were either currently or formerly elected officials. Our goal was to better understand the factors that influence women who run so that we can find ways to encourage and facilitate more political activism among the women of Utah.

We asked more than 100 participants what motivated them to run for public office, and what benefits they experienced from serving. I believe that reviewing and highlighting the most common responses can dispel some of the negative stereotypes about political motives and illuminate the quality of the pool of women in our state. We need more Utah women to consider running, winning, and serving in elected local, state, and national positions. I will highlight three interesting findings regarding why women stepped forward to run:

They were asked or encouraged: Many of our participants specifically noted that they were encouraged or asked to run by a mentor, elected official, or community leader. This aligns with national research that shows women, more than men, are more likely to run when given a push. A survey of state legislators conducted by the Center for American Women and Politics shows that while 43% of male legislators decided to run for office on their own, just 26% of female legislators said that the decision to run for office was their own idea. Women often need that nudge or tap to get involved.

They wanted to make a difference: The second theme to emerge from our study was the desire to make a difference. Women expressed the need to contribute to their community, to address local and state issues, and to have a seat at the decision-making table. One participant stated, “I saw that my city needed change. In speaking to residents, many felt they weren’t being listened to by the council at the time. I truly believed I could be the voice they were missing.” These women believed that they can and do make a difference, with one participant sharing, “I believed then and believe now that I can make a difference not only for my constituents but residents across the state.”

They were dissatisfied with the status quo: More than a third of the politicians who were surveyed were motivated to run because they were either frustrated with decisions that had been made, saw important policies that were or were not implemented, or they saw a lack of good leadership. One female elected official said, “I felt the current representatives were out of touch … and not reflective of the current demographic of educators and parents.” Several women stated that they want to see more female representation, with one explaining that she “wanted more representation of women in office for my children. It was important to have a voice at the table.”

In responding to this survey, many of these women expressed the desire to have “a seat at the table.” This communal metaphor is a fitting description of the style that typifies so much of female leadership that is marked by collaboration. Other reasons listed were having prior experience serving in unelected capacities, having a specific issue they wanted addressed, and having knowledge or experience that would benefit their communities. Many women also mentioned the influence of a mentor, which underscores the importance of creating women’s networks to support, encourage, and model civic engagement.

Whatever the reasons, we celebrate the women of Utah who have served their communities and those who are thinking about it. We encourage you to keep making a difference, create change, and share your talents. There’s a seat at the table waiting for you!