
Political & Civic Representation – Resource Kit
The Utah Women & Leadership Project (UWLP) team, in partnership with the Political & Civic Representation Spoke advisors within A Bolder Way Forward, has curated a comprehensive collection of recommended resources. The collection brings together UWLP research and materials alongside statewide and national contributions from community partners and organizations. This kit includes resources focused on political representation, boards and commissions, and civic engagement and advocacy, offering a well-rounded foundation for individuals and groups working to strengthen women’s influence and participation in public life. To get involved in positive change, take action by exploring what you can do as individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Key Resources
- Civic Engagement Toolkit
- Conversation Guide: Utah Women & Political Leadership
- Infographic: Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women [Spanish]
- Podcast: A Bolder Way Forward Conversations: Political Representation, Boards and Commissions, & Civic Engagement/Advocacy
- Political Representation, Boards & Commissions, & Civic Engagement/Advocacy: What Utahns Need to Know
- Utah Boards & Commissions
- Utah Elected Officials Guide to Gender Parity: Ten Recommendations [Spanish]
- Video: A Bolder Way Forward Political & Civic Representation
Research
- A Historical View of Women in Utah's Top Political Roles - 2020
- An Analysis of Utah Media: Women & Politics - 2021
- Home, Health, Community, & Allyship 2025: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes - 2026
- Home, Health, Community, & Allyship: Utahns’ Awareness, Understanding, and Attitudes - 2025
- Perceptions of Women Elected Officials in Utah: Challenges, Benefits, and Lessons Learned - 2021
- Political & Civic Engagement Research Summary - 2024
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics - 2014
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2017 Update
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2021 Update
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2022 Update
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2023 Update
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2024 Update
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2025 Update
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2026 Update
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – State of Utah 2020
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – State of Utah: A 2024 Update
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – Utah Cities and Towns: A 2024 Update
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – Utah Cities and Towns - 2020
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – Utah Counties - 2020
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – Utah Counties: A 2024 Update
- Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women - 2016
- Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women: A 2019 Update
- Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women: A 2021 Update
- Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women: A 2025 Update
- What City Council Members Can Do to Strengthen the Impact of Utah Girls and Women
- What Matters Most to Utahns? Envision Utah Survey Results by Gender
- What Mayors Can Do to Strengthen the Impact of Utah Girls and Women
- Women Leaders in Utah Government – Their Paths to Power
- Women’s Equality in Utah: Why Utah Is Ranked as the Worst State, and What Can Be Done
Editorials
- Each of Us Has a Chance To Be A Helper (The Salt Lake Tribune, 2020)
- Outreach During an Outbreak (The Salt Lake Tribune, 2020)
- The Benefits of Having More Women in Politics (Deseret News, 2021)
- The Benefits of Volunteering Go Beyond the Community (Deseret News, 2019)
- Use Your Vote. Use Your Voice (The Salt Lake Tribune, 2020)
- Utah Gets a ‘D’ on the Representation on Women in Politics — Will that Change on Election Day? (Utah News Dispatch, 2025)
- Utah Women Shine in Volunteerism (The Salt Lake Tribune, 2021)
- We Must Act Locally and Globally to Improve Women’s Lives (The Salt Lake Tribune, 2016)
- Why Utah Women Run for Elected Public Office (Standard-Examiner, 2021)
- Why We Need More Women to Run for Office in Utah (The Spectrum, 2021)
LinkedIn Articles
- Advice From Women Who Have Served in Public Elected Office
- Another U.S. Ranking for Women – Power and Influence: Where Does Utah Rank?
- Benefits for Women Who Run and Serve in Public Elected Office
- New Findings – Underrepresentation of Women in Leadership and Politics
- The Challenges and Barriers of Being a Woman in Politics
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics
- Utah Women and Voting
- Utah Women, Volunteerism, and Civic Engagement
- What Inspires Women to Run for Public Office?
- What Matters Most to Utahns? An Analysis by Gender
- Women in Utah: Voting Trends and Civic Participation
- Women on Utah State Boards and Commissions
Podcasts
- A Bolder Way Forward Conversations: Political Representation, Boards and Commissions, & Civic Engagement/Advocacy
- New Research: The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2024 Update
- Promoting Civility and Dignity in Utah
- Safety First: The Health Implications of Social Belonging Among Utah Women
- The Current Status of Utah Women and Girls: A Research Synopsis
- The Status of Women in Utah Politics: A 2023 Update
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – State of Utah: A 2024 Update
- The Status of Women Leaders in Government – Utah Cities and Towns: A 2024 Update
- The Status of Women on Utah State Boards & Commissions: A 2023 Update
- Understanding Political & Civic Representation in Utah
- Voting and Civic Engagement Among Utah Women
- Women’s Equality in Utah: Why Utah Is Ranked as the Worst State, and What Can Be Done
Videos
- Building Bridges: Leading as Women in Local Government
- Community Advocacy Training for Utah Women
- Crossing the Divide: Making an Impact in Career and Community
- Impact Evening for Utah Girls & Women: Mindfulness, Negative Interactions, & Leadership
- International Women’s Day Celebration: Utah Women Learn, Lead, & Lift
- Learn to Lead Through Reaching Out
- Leveraging Social Media to Do Good
- Promoting Literacy in the Home and Community
- Strengthen Your Impact in the Community (Matthew & Paige Holland)
- The Situation & Status of Women Worldwide (Dr. Valerie Hudson)
- Unleash Your Power as Women to Do Good (Carine Clark)
- Use Your Voice to Do Good: Tips and Opportunities to Write, Speak, and Impact More Powerfully
- Women and Policy, Strategy, Politics, and Change (Maura Carabello)
- Writing for the Popular Press: A Workshop for Utah Women
Public Policy & Advocacy Resources:
- Utah State Legislature Website
- Utah Policy Newsletter
- How to Get Involved in the Utah Legislature
- Guide to the Legislative Process
Organizations:
- Better Days
- Just Serve
- League of Women Voters of Utah
- Project Elect
- The Policy Project
- Utah Women & Politics
- United Ways of Utah
- UServe Utah
- Utah Foundation
- Utah Nonprofits Association
- Utah State Boards and Commissions
- Utah Women & Leadership Project
- Utah Women Run
- Utah Women’s Networks and Groups
- Women's Leadership Institute
- Women’s Work Utah
In addition, there are over 180 women’s networks, groups, and associations across the state of Utah. These range from entities focused on business, politics, higher education, and even student chapters on our public college and university campuses, among others. The “Utah Women’s Groups, Networks, and Organizations” UWLP webpage links to each of these within general categories.
- 2025 Gender Parity Index: A Weighted Measure of Women's Representation (RepresentWomen, 2025)
- An Analysis of the Gender Gap in Utah Politics (University of Utah Undergraduate Research Journal, 2022)
- Are Women Better Leaders Than Men?(Harvard Business Review, 2012)
- Best & Worst States for Women's Equality (WalletHub, 2026)
- Current Numbers: Utah (Center for American Women and Politics)
- Leading with Intent: 2017 National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices (BoardSource, 2017)
- Looking Back on a Year of Service: Annual Reports(UServe Utah)
- On the Ballot: Constitutional Amendments, November 3, 2020 (Utah Foundation, 2020)
- State Fact Sheet, Utah (Center for American Women and Politics, n.d)
- State-by-State Information (Center for American Women and Politics)
- Status of Women in the States: Utah (Institute for Women’s Policy Research)
- The Measure of a Citizen: Civic Engagement in Utah (Utah Foundation, 2021)
- The Well-Being of Women in Utah: An Overview (Institute for Women’s Policy Research, 2014)
- Utah Priorities 2020: What's on Utah's Mind: Voter Issues and Concerns in 2020 (Utah Foundation, 2020)
- Utah's Culture of Volunteerism (UServe Utah, 2013)
- Volunteering in the United States (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015)
- Voting and Registration (United Stats Census Bureau)
- Women in Municipal Government (Banks & Parker, 2016)
- Women in Municipal Office (Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), 2021)
- Women in Statewide Elective Executive Office 2025 (Center for American Women and Politics, 2025)
- Women Legislators of Utah, 1896-1993 (J. Willard Marriott Library)