Future Forward Women and Vote Run Lead release pilot findings as bipartisan national study enters the field
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WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, February 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Nearly half of women currently serving in elected office report harassment, intimidation, or threats while doing their jobs, according to preliminary pilot findings from Shaping Power, Shaping the Future — the first bipartisan national study examining how women in elected office lead, govern, and sustain their roles over time — led by Future Forward Women in partnership with Vote Run Lead. Among those affected, 100 percent experienced it online or via social media, and two-thirds faced direct threats to their physical safety.
Today, the organizations are releasing these preliminary pilot findings as the study enters its national fielding phase, with the survey distributed to more than 2,500 women elected officials nationwide.
Selected Pilot Findings
Preliminary and directional; full national results forthcoming.
Safety and institutional protection. One in two women elected officials report harassment, intimidation, or threats while serving. Among those affected, 100 percent experienced it online, 67 percent faced direct threats to their physical safety, and one-third were harassed in person at the legislature.
Leadership sustainability. Nearly half (49.5%) of women officials surveyed expressed uncertainty about their long-term future in politics. Only 17 percent plan to serve multiple terms at their current level.
Cross-party collaboration. 49.5 percent say the polarized media environment increases the political risk of working across the aisle; 17 percent disagree.
Broader measures of influence. Half of women officials say their impact extends beyond bills sponsored or passed, including shaping policy debates and agendas, blocking harmful legislation, educating the public, and constituent service.
Gaps in Institutional Protection. Eighty-three percent say their legislatures lack effective mechanisms to prevent or address political violence — suggesting many women must navigate serious safety concerns with limited institutional support.
The national rollout comes as nearly 5,000 women are projected to run for Congress and state legislatures in 2026, competing in races that could determine control of government nationwide. As more women serve in competitive districts and closely divided chambers, the research seeks to better understand the conditions that support — or complicate — long-term leadership sustainability.
“This is a pivotal moment in American politics,” said Dr. C. Nicole Mason, President and CEO of Future Forward Women and lead architect of the study. “Record numbers of women are stepping forward to run for office. But the national conversation has focused largely on who wins elections — not what happens after. This study asks a deeper question: What does it take not only to win, but to lead effectively — and stay — once the cameras are gone?
“In today’s hyper-partisan climate, how leaders govern is as important as whether they win. Many women define their leadership through collaboration and long-term stewardship, yet the current political environment often rewards conflict over compromise. If we want durable governance and restored public trust, we have to understand which leadership practices thrive — and which face structural headwinds. Leadership sustainability is not just about who holds office. It’s about how democracy functions.”
Understanding How Women Lead
Beyond documenting institutional pressures, the study breaks new ground by examining how women actually lead. At the center of the research is an original Leadership Orientation Scale and Leadership & Impact Index, designed to capture how leaders see themselves and operate in practice — whether collaborative, visionary, pragmatic, directive, or transformational. The framework moves beyond counting bills passed to measure how collaboration, strategy, and long-term sustainability shape governing effectiveness.
Preliminary pilot data show collaborative leadership is the most commonly reported approach, with nearly one-third (32.7 percent) identifying it as their primary style. Yet 49.5 percent say today’s polarized media environment makes cross-party collaboration politically riskier — revealing a potential tension between prevailing leadership practices and the incentives of a hyper-partisan system.
While preliminary, these early patterns will be further tested as the national sample expands and additional elected officials respond. Based on the structural conditions shaping today’s legislative chambers, researchers expect many of these dynamics to persist in 2026 and beyond.
“We are seeing historic numbers of women step forward to run, but recruitment alone will not strengthen our democracy,” said Erin Vilardi, Founder and CEO of Vote Run Lead. “If nearly half of the women in office are uncertain about staying, that raises important questions about the environments they’re entering. Winning matters — but so does building institutions that make leadership sustainable. This study helps connect the pipeline to the conditions of governance.”
About the Study
Moving beyond candidate counts, Shaping Power, Shaping the Future examines how leadership functions once women take office. The national survey — distributed to more than 2,500 women elected officials — explores safety, institutional support, structural constraints, media dynamics, and long-term leadership sustainability.
The national study is conducted in collaboration with Run for Something, Emerge, and Women’s Democracy Lab, bringing together expertise across candidate recruitment, leadership development, academic research, and institutional governance.
The research is guided by a bipartisan advisory board of leading scholars and practitioners in political representation and governance, including Muthoni Wambu Kraal (Women’s Democracy Lab), Danielle M. Thomsen (University of California, Irvine), A’shanti F. Gholar (Emerge), Nadia E. Brown (Georgetown University), and Kandice Harris (Run for Something), among others.
Full national findings will be released in phases beginning in June 2026 and continuing through the 2026 midterm election cycle and beyond.
EDITORS’ NOTE: Future Forward Women and Vote Run Lead can facilitate interviews with women legislators who participated in the pilot study and are willing to speak on the record about their experiences governing in today’s political environment.
About Future Forward Women
Future Forward Women is a national research and policy organization building the infrastructure women need to lead and govern at their best. Through original research, leadership measurement, and evidence-based policy design, the organization works with elected officials and partners across the country to strengthen women’s power, influence, and long-term leadership sustainability.
About Vote Run Lead
Vote Run Lead is the nation’s largest and most diverse training organization for women running for office, equipping women with the skills, networks, and confidence to run, win, and lead.
Katie Waldron
Future Forward Women
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