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Erin Velati, Vote Run Lead founder, says training and public financing are widening the path for women candidates
Summary
Erin Velati, founder and CEO of Vote Run Lead and Vote Run Lead Action, told BronxNet viewers the group has trained thousands of prospective women candidates over two decades, credited online training, public financing and ranked‑choice voting with increasing runs, and urged would‑be candidates to 'run as you are.'
Erin Velati, founder and CEO of Vote Run Lead and Vote Run Lead Action, told BronxNet’s Open that her organization has trained thousands of women to consider and run for public office over the past 20 years and that “the role model effect really helps.”
Velati said Vote Run Lead moved rapidly online during the pandemic, expanding attendance from dozens to the thousands, and now supports both prospective candidates and those already elected through training and governance programs. She cited an overall increase in women’s representation — “about 33% on average in state houses” and recent gains in city and congressional races — as evidence that recruitment and training can shift political culture.
The group’s guidance combines practical campaigning steps and mindset work. Velati emphasized basic, local preparation: map the district, ask key family and logistics questions, identify who makes decisions in the community, and build a network of supporters. “Run as you are,” she said, calling authenticity both the mantra and a practical strategy for first‑time candidates.
Velati also highlighted institutional changes that have helped women run: New York City’s public financing match (described in the interview as an approximately $1:$8 match up to modest amounts) and the adoption of ranked‑choice voting, which she said has reduced hostile primaries and encouraged more women to enter races.
She named Vote Run Lead’s online hub (VRL HQ) and voterunlead.org as resources for prospective candidates. She also pointed to alumni and partner figures who have worked with the organization and described the group’s longer‑term aim: expanding the network of elected women who support each other once in office.
The interview closed with Velati urging viewers who are considering a run to research local candidates, attend events and weigh whether their policy priorities align with the powers of the office they might seek. For more information, Velati directed listeners to voterunlead.org and VRL HQ.
