At the rate things are going, the Elect More Women council might not meet its goal of five women on Hamilton council until the next century.

By the end of last week, just two women had filed their nomination papers for this fall’s municipal election. A lot can change before the Oct. 25 election, but the lack of interest at this point doesn’t bode well for an increase in female representation on city council.

The lack of women on elected bodies is a continuing problem nationwide, where on average just one in five elected officials are female.

Seeing that shortfall, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities has set a goal of 30 per cent female councillors by 2026.

Hamilton, with its two women on the 16-member council, currently has a paltry 12.5 per cent.

“If we were to reach the target this year, we would need to elect five women on council,” says Denise Doyle, co-chair of Elect More Women, a Hamilton-based group which has been helping women prepare for elections since 2006.

Historically, there has been a dearth of female representation on Hamilton council.

From 1931 until 1946, Nora Francis Henderson was the lone woman on Hamilton council. Following her defeat, no women were elected until 1981. Until the late ’90s, two was the standard.

Three women — Andrea Horwath, Mary Kiss and Geraldine Copps — were elected to Hamilton council in 1997 and in the post-amalgamation elections of 2000 and 2003, but just two won seats in the last election.

Doyle says women generally face more barriers — being the primary caregiver, child care, elder care and other priorities at home — than their male counterparts, which keeps them from considering a career in politics. It’s hard to be a full-time candidate and then have a full-time job as an elected person, she says.

“Studies have proven these tend to be the major barriers to women entering elected office,” says Doyle. “You have to make some very difficult choices as an elected woman.”

Horwath, now leader of the Ontario NDP and MPP for Hamilton Centre, says she believes Elect More Women can help get more women looking at public service.

The former Hamilton councillor says politics is often seen as a blood-sport, “a nasty in-your-face arena” that is generally the domain of men.

“It’s something that women don’t think of automatically, that they would necessarily be a good representative or that they would fit in that role,” she says.

But women are taking more leadership roles outside the home, and as far as having a family and responsibilities at home, that doesn’t have to be an impediment, says Horwath, who was first elected when her son was four years old.

Doyle suggests women who are thinking of getting involved in the political process might consider a run for school board, where trustees generally have a lesser workload than councillors.

“It will prepare you for the meeting structure, being involved and making decisions in that kind of format,” she says.

Doyle says while politicians are supposed to represent all the people, it is still important to have a female voice at the table, especially when policy decisions impacting women are being made.

“We think their contribution would be significant to the outcomes of policies,” she says.

Maria Pearson served three terms on Stoney Creek council before amalgamation and the last two terms on Hamilton council. She says she's never thought of herself as a female councillor, but rather as someone who is capable of doing the job.

Having more women just for the sake of having an equal number of each gender won’t make for better representation of all people, she says.

“That may be a stickler as far as the women out there,” says Pearson. “I’m looking at ability.”

She concedes that while she was able to hold office with two young children at home during her Stoney Creek council days, the workload on the current city council would make it difficult for a woman in a similar situation today.

“You certainly have to have the tremendous support of your family,” says Pearson.

The Elect More Women municipal election seminars continue into the spring. The next four in the series are Feb. 16 (campaign tools), March 23 (canvassing), April 13 (preparing for debates) and April 20 (media for candidates). On May 15, a full-day conference will be held covering a variety of topics.

There is no charge for any of the seminars. Full details can be found at electmorewomen.wordpress.com or by phoning 905-522-9922 ext. 111.

The city’s website also has important election information at www.hamilton.ca/election2010 .