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- इसका हिस्सा Records of the Office of the Chief of Staff (Clinton Administration), Lynn Cutler's Files
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OCR Page 1 of 41EMILY's List Chronology
Fourteen Years of Putting Women in Power
n 1985, 25 women, rolodexes in hand, gathered in Ellen Malcolm's basement to send a letter to their friends about a
network they were forming to raise money for pro-choice Democratic women candidates. These "founding mothers"
pioneered a new concept in fundraising: a donor network that would provide its members with information about candi-
dates and encourage them to write checks directly to the candidates they choose.
At that time, no Democratic woman had been elected to the U.S. Senate in her own right, no woman had been elect-
ed governor of a large state, and the number of Democratic women in the U.S. House of Representatives had declined.
Frustrated by the barriers that prevented women from making it to the top political offices, these women founded
EMILY's List to elect more women to the House and Senate, and as governors.
Since that day, EMILY's List has grown to more than 50,000 members, raised millions of dollars for candidates and
helped elect record numbers of women to office. An acronym for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" (it makes the dough rise),
EMILY's List has become the nation's biggest source of contributions for federal candidates.
Here is a sketch of 14 years of progress.
In 1986 EMILY's List members contributed over
didates, helps them build strong campaigns and mobi-
$350,000 to two Senate candidates, Barbara Mikulski
lizes women voters. In an especially tough year for
(Md.) and Harriett Woods (Mo.). Mikulski became the
Democrats, EMILY's List members helped send four
first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her own
new Democratic women to the U.S. House and return
right. Her historic victory helped Democrats regain con-
Dianne Feinstein to the U.S. Senate. EMILY's List mem-
trol of the Senate and establish credibility for women as
bers contributed $6.2 million for candidates. The first
serious candidates who can win. EMILY's List member-
WOMEN VOTE! project was launched in California by
ship grew to 1,155.
the California Democratic Party, with support from
In 1988 The victories of EMILY's List candidates
EMILY's List.
Nita Lowey (N.Y.) and Jolene Unsoeld (Wash) reversed
In 1996 45,000 members of EMILY's List contri-
a 14-year decline in the number of Democratic women in
buted $6.5 million to women candidates. EMILY's List
the U.S. House of Representatives, raising their number
helped 31 state coordinated campaigns produce WOMEN
to 14. EMILY's List recommended nine congressional
VOTE! projects, which targeted 2.7 million women voters
candidates to more than 2,000 members, raising $650,000
with 7.5 million pieces of mail and 500,000 phone calls.
and becoming the nation's largest financial resource for
EMILY's List helped elect a sixth woman to the U.S.
women candidates.
Senate and New Hampshire's first woman governor, and
In 1990 EMILY's List broke the million-dollar
nine new pro-choice Democratic women to the U.S.
mark Members contributed $1.5 million to 14 candi-
House, the second-biggest increase ever. The EMILY's
dates, helping elect two women governors, Ann Richards
List Women's Monitor, a national survey of women vot-
(Tex) and Barbara Roberts (Ore.), and five new con-
ers, provided a barometer of women voters' attitudes to
gresswomen. Membership reached 3,500.
the press and public.
In 1992 "The Year of the Woman." EMILY's List
In 1998 50,000 members of EMILY's List contributed
helped elect four new pro-choice Democratic women to
$7.5 million to help elect seven new pro-choice Democratic
the U.S. Senate and 21 to the U.S. House. During the
women to the U.S. House - the largest increase of
1991-92 election cycle, EMILY's List grew more than 600
Democratic women in a non-presidential election year
percent, ending with 23,701 members who contributed
bringing the number of women in the U.S. House to a
over $6.2 million to recommended candidates.
record high of 56. EMILY's List also helped elect a new
In 1994 EMILY's List evolved into a full-service
woman to the U.S. Senate. WOMEN VOTE! projects tar-
geted 3.4 million women in 26 states with nearly 8 million
political organization that raises money for women can-
pieces of mail and over 2 million phone calls.
In seven elections, EMILY's List has helped elect seven pro-choice
Democratic women senators, 49 congresswomen and three governors.
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