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Amount of Women in SC Political Arena Lacking, Says Southern Institute for Women in Politics
Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- South Carolina is last in the country for the number of women in state Legislature, according to the Southeastern Institute for Women in Politics. The group is working to bring more women into top roles when the next governor appoints positions.
Sarah Leverette, 90, has seen changes since she graduated from law school decades ago.
"I knew the door was closed. I didn't know it was locked," Leverette says. "Women could not serve on juries. The opportunity for women in law offices was practically nil."
She stood at the meeting Tuesday to see more women included in the state's political arena.
"We have a large number of qualified women that I think we're ignoring, and I think that's important to
the progress of the state," Leverette says.
That's the message the South Carolina Gubernatorial Appointments Project is trying to get across, director of the non-partisan group Candy Waites says.
"When we're not utilizing the experiences and the expertise of these women, we're wasting half of the brain power of our state," she explains.
They have asked gubernatorial candidates to sign a pledge, appointing women to future administration positions and are asking qualified women to submit resumes.
"If the governor wants to appoint a 90-year-old I would accept it, but I doubt if he's gonna do that, might not last through his term," she says.
The group asked both gubernatorial candidates to sign their pledge. Democratic candidate Vincent Sheheen signed it and Republican candidate Nikki Haley declined.
Originally posted on WLTX News
By: James Gilbert and Ashley Yore