Last year, The Policy Circle interviewed three women in our community with incredible stories of impact. All three had different experiences and talked to us about what they had learned.
Kim Morley – Roscommon, Michigan
Kim Morley is an experienced campaigner who has run for public office three times and won two elections. Her journey began in 2016 with a competitive campaign for a school board seat. In that election, there were two open positions and six candidates competing. Motivated by her commitment to her son’s education, Kim emerged victorious.
After her school board term, Kim and her husband became even more established in their community. In 2022, Kim decided, after talking to her family and friends, to run for a position in state government. Unfortunately, redistricting put Kim up against an incumbent opponent supported by the same party. The state-level party organization, initially the “wind on my back,” turned on Kim, refusing to support her campaign. While Kim lost this round, she still describes it as the “best experience.”
Following this setback, Kim redirected her efforts toward the county party, where she spent the next two years working to rebuild the organization. During this time, a county commissioner faced challenges in his role, and Kim recognized an opportunity to make a difference. After discussing it with her family, Kim decided to run for the position. She campaigned vigorously in a contentious election and successfully won her county commissioner seat on November 5, 2024. She took office shortly thereafter.
While she was running in 2022, Kim participated in The Policy Circle’s CLER Program. Her experience in CLER strengthened her resolve to state her opinions with strength – not arrogance. “Do you really want to just be right, or do you want to make a change?” Moving people together is “her thing” and what she loves to do.
Kim advises first-time campaigners to balance the input they receive from others carefully. “There will always be someone asking what you’ve done or suggesting what you should do,” she notes. She encourages women to remember, “You need to feel confident about your plan of action.” She underscores the importance of staying true to yourself and not getting overly influenced by a campaign manager or any other advisor. “Be clear about what you want to contribute to the community, and then prioritize your time and energy. Do your homework and truly listen,” she says.
Key advice from Kim: “Sometimes, you don’t have to give an answer on the campaign trail. Listen to others and ask good questions. Follow up and follow through.”
Michelle Pennington – Chicago, Illinois
Michelle Pennington began paying attention to politics in 2016. The impact of the pandemic and lockdown in 2020 further motivated her to get involved. She joined her local political party organization to make a difference. Fast-forward to 2023, she attended a meeting to learn about running for office, but none of the positions appealed to her. Soon after, the Cook County clerk sadly passed away. There hasn’t been a Republican clerk in Cook County since 1910. Michelle, a Republican, noticed that no one from her party was running for the position, partly because of this significant historical barrier. “That’s just wrong to me.” She and her family decided it was necessary to give voters another option.
Michelle signed up for the ballot in July. The following five months of campaigning were busy, exciting, and engaging. She traveled around the county, had a great experience, and received support from another candidate running for a different position. Throughout her campaign, she remained focused on ensuring that people were “able to vote for change.” While she found immense support for her vision, she also encountered some individuals who did not share her perspective. “As citizens, it is our responsibility not to align ourselves with just one team,” she stated, emphasizing the importance of preventing the government from going awry.
In the 21 years that Michelle has lived in Cook County, she has witnessed a dramatic increase in crime and taxes. Although she lost the campaign, she achieved her goal of providing voters with an alternative. In what was forecasted to be a guaranteed win for her opponent, Michelle garnered almost 30% of the vote. This outcome demonstrated that there were indeed people who shared Michelle’s concerns and agreed with her priorities.
Michelle came to understand the immense effort it takes to campaign by going through one. Starting with limited funds and a small staff, she realized that gaining traction and financial support is a long and challenging journey. Michelle faced a setback when the harsh realities of campaigning affected both her and her family. She was cursed at during a parade and was greatly unsettled by the assassination attempts on then Presidential Candidate Trump. This made her worry, “What am I doing that could potentially put my family in harm’s way?”
After some time, Michelle found peace in the understanding that the race’s outcome was beyond her control and committed to continue. The women supporting her campaign rallied around her, encouraging her during her moments of doubt. “It takes time to build a team, but you only need a handful of dedicated supporters.”
Michelle is not done yet. Her party put forth a great slate of motivated candidates, and she found that she was quite good at campaigning. This surprised her since it was not something she had ever done before, nor did it tie into her everyday life. While unsure of her next steps, Michelle knows that her foundation is strong. In The Policy Circle’s CLER program, she learned that the tension she campaigned on has been present since the founding of America. “This conflict is the way the system works. It may be better or worse at times, but it will balance out.”
Key advice from Michelle: “Don’t start at the county level like I did. It ended up being much more than I anticipated, and a first elected position like the school board is much more manageable. Local politics are incredibly impactful – find your niche where you can serve – whatever fits you and your talents best.”
Sarah Norberg – Folsom, California
Recent CLER graduate Sarah Norberg was shocked to learn, just a few months before Election Day, that a ballot proposal would permanently raise taxes in her California community by a full one percent. With the clock ticking, Sarah, an active member of The Policy Circle community, sprang into action, determined to challenge this tax increase.
The measure was justified as a way to bolster fire and police services needed due to the city’s rapid expansion, which had left specific neighborhoods without essential infrastructure. While the promise of supporting first responders is needed, the reality was that only 40% of the revenue generated would actually go to fire and police departments. The other 60% would vanish into the city’s budget black hole, funding projects and programs unrelated to public safety or infrastructure.
For Sarah, a dedicated advocate for fiscal responsibility, this was not just about numbers on a page. It was about the future of her community and how the government chose to fund its services. She believed in the importance of adequately supporting fire and police departments, but she fundamentally disagreed with the misguided approach of raising taxes at the expense of hardworking residents. As Election Day loomed closer, Sarah knew she had to fight back—not just for her community, but for the principles of transparency and responsible governance everyone deserved.
Sarah began the arduous process of campaigning against the measure with three friends. It became an increasingly higher mountain to climb. First, the measure was the last item on the ballot, and the group sponsoring the initiative managed to secure neutral statements from typical opponents of this type of policy change. The sponsoring group raised over $235,000 from large donors (including developers), and they started campaigning to pass this increase well in advance. Sarah and her friends raised $15,000 in donations to support their efforts while working full-time. It was truly a David and Goliath situation.
And yet…Sarah and her allies won. The ballot measure was defeated, with over 60% voting no. Sarah credits her success to the strength of her team’s arguments. In their messaging to sway voters, they explained how the permanence of such a high tax increase was not the best way to solve this problem, and her community agreed.
Key advice from Sarah: “Having collaborative discussions while remaining civil and diplomatic can lead to wins like this and create opportunities for more civil discourse in the future.” Sarah stressed that this success was bipartisan and united people who disagreed with her.
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The Policy Circle congratulates Kim, Michelle, and Sarah on their campaigns and looks forward to supporting all of them in the future! These CLER graduates exemplify the importance of courage, commitment, and a supportive community. With knowledge and a group of problem-solving women at our side, we can transform lives for the better. Are you ready to step into the arena? To help find solutions that lead to greater human flourishing?
Join The Policy Circle today! Connect with us at [email protected] and share your civic story. You can also learn more about our programs designed to activate women leaders, CLER and ASAP.
