On 11 June 1892, she became one of the co-founders of the Stockholms allmänna kvinnoklubb, which was the first women's branch of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.

She became a member of the Swedish Social Democratic Party the same year, and served as the chairperson of the Stockholms allmänna kvinnoklubb three times: 1892–1895, 1897–1898, and 1906–1908.

In Stockholm city council, two women were elected: the social democrat Gertrud Månsson, and the right-wing Valfrid Palmgren.

When she took her seat as newly elected member of the Stockholm city council in 1910, a fellow member of the city council, a wealthy male merchant, asked her if they were acquainted, to which she replied: "Yes, I was in service as a maid to the upper classes and used to buy groceries in your shop, Mr Grocer!"

Her main focus within this issue was the question of housing and living conditions and she was actively involved in the building projects discussed in the council.

Though she seldom spoke and normally kept herself in the background, she informed herself of all questions and acted upon them, and it was said of her: "She belonged to those silent ones who alongside thousand others built our working movement and brought it forward."