The province is looking to increase the number of women running in municipal elections.

A session will be held Monday night in Calgary for women interested in putting their names forward.

The Minister of Status of Women, Stephanie McLean says there are reasons that women don't run.

"We know that women tend to not run for office because they feel they need to be over qualified or they have additional responsibilities at home so a lot of getting them to do it is addressing the barriers around it," the Minister says. "In addition to that we know that women need to be asked to run for office and so we can help by asking them to run and supporting them to run.

She says while women make up half the population women make up only about a quarter of municipal councils across the province.

The session goes in the Blue Room in the Dining Hall at the University of Calgary from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday.