Carolyn Jakobsen was elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Cowan, Western Australia in 1984, 1987 and 1990, representing the Australian Labor Party.  She was defeated at the general elections in 1993.

Mrs Jakobsen held party positions as Member, ALP Administrative Committee (WA) from 1983; Electorate Council President, Branch President and Branch Secretary; Delegate, ALP State Conference (WA).

The electorate of Cowan is described as outer metropolitan -
residential suburban and light industry.It is located in Northern Perth as a new division created following the 1984 Federal
redistribution.It includes the suburbs of Alinjarra, Ballajura, Carine, Duncraig, Girrawheen, Greenwood, Hamersley, Hillarys, Kingsley, Koondoola, Landsdale, Malaga, Marangaroo, Marmion, Padbury, Sorrento, Warwick and Waterman, and parts of Balga, Mirrabooka and North Beach. Electors enrolled - 70,402 (at 11 July 1987).