‘Girl’ seats and ‘boy’ seats? Md. Democrats say separate party positions will bring parity

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/girl-seats-and-boy-seats-md-democrats-say-separate-party-positions-will-bring-parity/2018/03/06/12f10c4e-2083-11e8-86f6-54bfff693d2b_story.html?utm_term=.9c45fd4c264a

 

New rules in place for the June 26 primary mean Democratic voters in 17 counties, some for the first time, will vote separately for men and women who are seeking central party positions.

 

State party chair Kathleen Matthews said the rules will help ensure a pipeline of future female candidates for higher office. Maryland has no women in its congressional delegation or in any top statewide elective positions.

 

“Maryland is a state that rewards people who have run for office by electing them to higher office,” Matthews said. “And the central committees are the first tier of elective office that you can run for.”

 

According to numbers compiled by the party, the number of Democratic women running for county and state positions has increased 44 percent this year — to 545 from 378 in 2014. The number of women seeking state Senate seats doubled to 36, and the number running for the House of Delegates increased by nearly 60 percent, from 67 to 107.