About Us
Progressive Arkansas Women PAC (PAWPAC) is the only organization in Arkansas dedicated to supporting and electing women leaders in our communities who are committed to reproductive freedom and women’s economic and social equality. By recruiting, supporting, and funding progressive women candidates in local and state elections, we’re changing the face of Arkansas politics.
Arkansas women fought for the right to vote more than a hundred years ago—and won. But today, women make up less than 20% of our state’s elected officials. In 2016, our founders began asking themselves how they could improve those numbers. What started as an idea in an alley among a few neighbors has grown into a thriving organization.
We formed as a political action committee (PAC) because we understand that money is necessary to win elections and that women historically have been left behind in the race for dollars.
PAWPAC is committed to our candidates on every level—from statewide to local offices. We write checks, recruit campaign volunteers, knock on doors, and call constituents.
We’ve supported candidates running for the state legislature, secretary of state, quorum courts, school boards, city councils, county coroner, and more. We began raising money in 2016. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, we traveled the state recruiting women to run and asking for donations. By the end of 2019, we had raised $261,000 and supported about 100 women.
We come from diverse backgrounds and belief systems because this is about something bigger than party lines and political divides. We’re all committed to the same ambitious goal: electing progressive women to half the seats in every local and state governing body in Arkansas.
As a state PAC, Progressive Arkansas Women cannot contribute to candidates for federal office without complying with federal election regulations. At this time, we are not qualified to do so.
