Bipartisan Coalition for Women's Appointments

Interested in being considered for a state appointment?

Submit your resume directly to Governor Corzine’s appointments office by emailing it to appointments.resume @ gov.state.nj.us or on their web site here. You may also call the appointments office at 609/777-0251.
Need more information about serving in appointed office or the Bipartisan Coalition's role?
	See our frequently asked questions about the appointments process in New Jersey.
	See also the list of New Jersey Boards and Commissions (partial listing).

About the Coalition
The New Jersey Bipartisan Coalition for Women’s Appointments (BCWA) is a statewide, bipartisan group of prominent women and organizations convened in years immediately prior to gubernatorial elections. The purpose of BCWA is to ensure the placement of women in key positions throughout state government. Specifically, the goals of the New Jersey Bipartisan Coalition for Women's Appointments (BCWA) are:

•	to create the expectation within both major parties and the campaigns of their gubernatorial candidates that women will be included in significant state government positions in even greater numbers than in any past administration at every level of appointment – from cabinet positions to unpaid boards and commissions.
•	to create a “talent bank” of resumes from New Jersey women interested in being considered for appointments in the next administration.

Many elected officials and other citizens and organizations in New Jersey signed on as endorsers of the Coalition’s efforts in 2005. View the list of endorsers here.

Through its endorsers, the Coalition encouraged discussion, advice and active participation in achieving these goals. The endorsers of the Coalition not only helped formulate strategies but were also ambassadors — each individual and organization publicizing the purpose and efforts to members of their political, professional, and civic communities.

The 2005 Coalition was led by a bipartisan convening committee. A complete list of the 2005 committee members is available here.

New Jersey needs this bipartisan initiative for two reasons:

1)	Despite encouraging progress made by women on all levels of appointive public service in New Jersey — most notably in the judiciary, where there are three women among the seven Supreme Court Justices and where women have been appointed in substantial numbers to lower courts — there is no assurance that any governor will continue in that direction.
2)	While appointive positions are important on their own terms, often with significant policy-making authority, they also serve for many women (and men) as a means of gaining the credibility and experience to run for elected positions. Although New Jersey is one of only 21 states ever to have elected a female governor, our other statistics are less impressive:
	•	Congress: New Jersey currently has no women in its congressional delegation of 2 Senators and 13 House members.
	•	State legislature: New Jersey ranks 34th among the states in the proportion of women in its legislature, with 7 women out of 40 state senators (17.5%) and 16 women out of 80 assembly members (20.0%).
	•	County offices: Women hold 26% of county freeholder seats and approximately 32% of other county positions such as surrogate and clerk.
	•	Municipal offices: Only about 14% of the state's mayors are women.

CAWP research over the years has repeatedly demonstrated that having women in elected office makes a measurable difference; women bring to the table distinctive issues and perspectives based on their life experiences.

Your Participation is Needed
The Coalition is no longer accepting resumes for its talent bank. Instead, you are encouraged to submit your resume directly to the Governor's Appointments Office by emailing it to appointments.resume @ gov.state.nj.us or on their web site here. You may also call the appointments office at 609/777-0251.

While the Coalition is not currently active, the Center for American Women and Politics continues to track the numbers of women appointed to the Cabinet and other key boards and commissions.

If you would like to learn more about the Coalition or the Center's work on women's appointments, contact Jean Sinzdak at or 732/932-9384, ext. 260.

History of BCWA
The BCWA was convened most recently in the summer of 2005 to develop strategies and resources in advance of the November 2005 gubernatorial election and to prepare for a new administration. The coalition's work in 2005 built on that of the original BCWA, formed in 1981, and on similar efforts in 1989 and 2000-2001. Through the use of media events, public relations efforts and direct contacts with organizations and individuals throughout the state, the Coalition generates publicity for its goals and creates pressure on party leaders and candidates. Over the years, the Coalition has seen success: the appointment of several women whom the Coalition actively promoted in different administrations; an elevated public awareness about the importance of women’s appointments; and increased sensitivity within new administrations to the need to recognize and respond to women’s concerns.

Ready to Run™
The Coalition builds on another CAWP initiative established to encourage women in New Jersey to seek public office. In 1998, the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics, created Ready to Run as a bipartisan effort to recruit and train New Jersey women to run for all levels of office and position themselves for appointments. At day-long conferences, women potential candidates participate in workshops and sessions featuring prominent elected and appointed leaders, campaign consultants, party officials and media trainers.