EMILY's List

Early Money Is Like Yeast, otherwise known as EMILY's List, was founded in 1985 by Ellen Malcolm to fund pro-choice Democratic women candidates for office. Organized as a political action committee (PAC), EMILY's List's primary goal is early funding of women candidates. From the 1990 election cycle to the 1992 election cycle, contributions grew from $770,000 to $6 million, helping support and elect EMILY's List candidates in the 1992 “Year of the Woman.” In 2008, the PAC distributed $35 million to women candidates. Although EMILY's List's activities remain focused on PAC funding, it also engages in other interest group activities that include increasing the number of women interested in pursuing public office and mobilizing women voters.

The “Year of the Woman” represented significant progress for female ...