Launching a political campaign may seem pretty daunting, but rest assured: Not all positions in politics require mud slinging and ruthless tactics to score a seat. In fact, very few do. To get your foot in the door—mud-free—all you need is persistence, a passion for making a difference and little bit of charm.

In 2001, as a recent college grad, Alisha Thomas Morgan had an epiphany. She had been working with a nonprofit organization, mobilizing young people to vote. “I was driving home, thinking about a panel I was on earlier that night talking about young people starting a revolution. I said to the audience, ‘Yeah, I’m doing a lot, but not enough.’ It hit me that I needed to run for state legislature.” Today, twenty-seven-year-old Morgan is the representative for Cobb County in the Georgia State Assembly.

Young women across the country are taking an increasingly active role in the political scene and are becoming more visible at all levels of government. Ayame Nagatani, a recent college grad working in Washington, D.C., is a legislative correspondent in the House of Representatives, further exemplifying this trend.

But despite recent advances, there’s still a long way to go in closing the gender gap in American politics. There are 81 women currently serving in the United States Congress, 79 women holding executive positions in statewide government and 1,685 women serving as state legislators. While these numbers may seem high—and are vast improvements from years past—women are still the minority, making up only 15.1% of the United States Congress, 25.1% of state executive offices and 20.8% of state legislatures.

HOW YOU CAN SCORE A CAREER IN POLITICS

Take some political science courses.
College is a necessity for virtually any career in politics; however, what you study is up to you. While you can find a politician who has majored in just about anything, from art history to chemistry, most politicians have a background in public administration, law or political science. Political science professors often give their students leads on jobs and internships (often, they are actively involved in their field), so assert yourself and speak up in class.