Meet three female candidates who are aiming to change a surprising statistic: The U.S. lags far behind much of the world when it comes to electing women to public office. Many of the current female candidates across the country have been mentored and trained by groups — partisan and nonpartisan — formed in the past few decades with the common purpose of electing more women to office.

"Midlife women are at a point in life when they can take on the task," says Mary Hughes, who heads up 2012 Project, which specifically targets women aged 45-plus as ideal candidates. "They are about to have fewer family responsibilities, are more likely to be financially stable and have deep roots in the community."