Did you know fewer than 1/3 of Vermont selectboard members are women?
Local elections matter. Our selectboards are the connection between our communities and the services and decision making that affect our daily lives. But with most selectboard members being white men over the age of 50 (as reported by UVM), it’s clear we need better representation at the tables of local government. Women—moms, young women, women of color, and LGBTQ+ women—are not participating nearly enough in the decisions that affect our communities and our lives.
It’s not just representation. Throughout Vermont we’ve seen an uptick in attacks on our education system and a concentrated effort to take over school board positions and push conservative agendas in public classrooms, libraries, and even on the sports field.
Issues of importance to women and families like our school curriculums, homelessness, addiction, public safety, spending, and so much more are topics of discussion for both selectboards and school boards. They require leaders with integrity, fairness, and equity. It’s essential that Democratic women are involved in local government table.
Local government is for you—and you are needed at the table!
Are you a Democratic woman or non-binary person thinking about running for your selectboard or school board next year? Maybe you’ve already decided to throw your hat in the ring for Town Meeting Day. Or maybe you want to help a woman leader in your community get elected. This training is for you!
Whether you’re undecided or getting ready to kick off your campaign, whether you’re up for re-election or a first-time candidate, or whether you want to volunteer to help someone else win, you need campaign skills and tools to help you succeed.
You need Emerge Vermont’s Municipal Bootcamp!
This full-day online training is for Democratic women and nonbinary people considering running for selectboard or school board on Town Meeting Day as well as in the future. We’ll cover everything you need to know to run an effective campaign for local office, from determining how many votes you need to win to messaging to fundraising to canvassing. We’ll talk about lawn signs, letters to the editor, door knocking, house parties, and many more topics to help you build your best campaign.
REGISTER NOW for our January 3, 2026 Municipal Bootcamp!
Cost is $75 per person. Questions? Reach out to ED Elaine Haney at elaine@emergevt.org.
This training is available at a fair market rate in compliance with campaign finance law.
Candidates and campaigns can use campaign funds to pay for this training.