GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — While women have recently won some historic elections across the country and while Michigan’s top three political offices are currently held by women, elected women are still outnumbered 1 to 4 by men.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, 27.4% of the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are filled by women. That figure is 24% in the U.S. Senate.

On Thursday, Aquinas College will host a “Running for Office” event with a primary focus on the issue of gender parity in elected offices. The panel will include four notable women in elected positions: Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, state Sen. Winnie Brinks, state Rep. Rachel Hood and GRCC Trustee Brandy Lovelady Mitchell. It will be moderated by Shannon Garret, the chief strategy officer for the Michigan Women’s Commission and co-founder of Vote Run Lead.

The panel discussion begins at 7 p.m and will run until 8:30 p.m. at the Wege Student Center Ballroom.

Masks are required for the event regardless of vaccination status and all visitors will be required to sign in at the Campus Safety Office.