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Audrey Perry Martin is the CEO and founder of Project Elect, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on getting women members of the Church more involved in public service. She is a California-based election law expert with over 15 years of experience, including extensive presidential election involvement as deputy general counsel at Romney for President and FEC Counsel at John McCain 2008. Audrey has worked at the Federal Election Commission, for Congress, and at private law firms in Washington, D.C. and California. She taught election law at Brigham Young University law school and serves as the vice president for communications and California chapter chair for the Republican National Lawyers Association. Audrey received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism from BYU. She has appeared on numerous national and international media outlets, including Fox News and NPR. Audrey grew up in Utah, is the mother of three daughters, and lives in Rocklin, California. She’s served in many capacities in the Church, including as Primary president, in the Young Womens presidency, and in lots of teaching callings. Rachelle Price serves on the Project Elect Board of Directors and is a small business owner and mother of five. After being unanimously appointed to her local school district board of education in 2019, she was elected in 2020 to a four year term as school board trustee and is currently serving as the vice president. In addition, Rachelle is a delegate on the California School Board Association and director on her local educational foundation. She has spent years as a community and school volunteer. Some of her favorite experiences include being part of site and district strategic planning committees and coaching her local special needs baseball team. Originally from Idaho, Rachelle holds a bachelor of science degree from BYU and resides with her husband and children in Rocklin, California. She has served in many capacities in the church, but her favorite callings have been stake girls camp hike leader and ward choir director. Rachelle currently serves as the stake communication assistant director. In this podcast, Rachelle and Audrey help us understand why it is important for women to run for office and get involved in their communities.
Highlights
3:30 Project Elect is a non partisan and non-profit organization. Their mission is to help more Latter-day Saint women get elected in public service. 4:20 Reasons why women should run:
- They are asked to by their leaders
- Because their communities need them
8:15 Women can use the skills that they use in their church callings to help contribute to their communities. 11:45 Project Elect helps support, encourage, and train Latter-day Saint women to help them run for office. 16:00 How can a bishop help? 21:40 Should women who are elected also have a calling? 23:30 Community service is a great opportunity for those who have been released from a calling and still want to get involved. 25:00 How can women find somewhere to serve?
- Each community is different and you have to get out and find opportunities.
- We have to step up as individuals even when we are unsure of what to do.
28:30 Everyone is busy but you can find small ways to serve. 29:45 There are seasons in a woman’s life. Some seasons you will have more time than others. Do what you can in the season that you are in. 31:30 Many are concerned about the time it will take away from their families to serve in their communities. However, you can actually include your family in what you are doing. By serving and speaking up in your community you are teaching your children to do the same. Lead by example. 36:40 We need bridge builders and peacemakers in a time of contention and drama. Latter-day Saint women know how to lead by lifting up others. 38:45 We get hyper-focused on national elections and politics. However, we need to focus on local leadership and what is happening in our own communities. Change starts where we are.
Links
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I think women are confused by the clear message from the 70s, 80s, and 90s about women’s place in the home and “not in the boardroom”. I see a younger generation of women in the church who did not receive these messages and,in my experience, are surprised when it is brought up. Older women do have the experience and time to serve. How do we support getting them to understand that there is a place for them as leaders and servants in the public sphere? And that it is not contrary to messages they may have heard from prophets and apostles in the past?