SHORE APPOINTED TO WOMEN'S CAUCUS

New Jersey Nurse, Nov/Dec 2004

SHORE SAYS MORE WOMEN ARE NEEDED IN ELECTED OFFICE

MURIEL M. SHORE of Fairfield has been appointed to the board of The Women's Political Caucus of New Jersey. WPCNJ is an affiliate of the National's Women's Political Caucus founded in 1971. Dr. Shore is the Dean of Nursing and Health Management at Felician College. A former Mayor of Fairfield, Shore is a member of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, representing District IV.

The Women's Political Caucus is a multi-partisan grassroots organization that is dedicated to increasing women's participation in the political process and committed to the election and appointment of women to every level of government. Shore said this appointment affords the opportunity to network with local, state and national political leaders to achieve these goals.

Shore said she is eager to serve on the Board noting that New Jersey ranks 43rd among the 50 states (seventh from the bottom) in the proportion of women serving in the state legislature. As reported by the Center of American Women and Politics 2004, Shore said of New Jersey's 120 legislative seats, only 19 (15.8%) women serve as legislators. Only six women are New Jersey state senators holding 15% of the 40 seats. Only thirteen women are members of the state assembly, holding 13.6% of the 80 seats. Of the 137 county freeholders, only 36 or 26.3% are women and only five women serve as freeholder directors or chairs.

"Getting more women of all ages interested in serving is critical to good government," said Shore. "Not enough women run for office, yet, when they do run they win in the same proportion as men. That's the good news," Shore said.

"I look forward to working with WPCNJ in sponsoring candidate forums and education and training workshops," Shore said. Shore has served as a Mentor for the Christine Todd Whitman Excellence in Public Service Program for the past several years. "As a Board member it will be exciting to work with other like-minded women of all political party affiliations to achieve these goals," said Shore who is serving in her 12th year of elected office.