Women’s representation in politics: The effect of electoral systems
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Standard
Women’s representation in politics: The effect of electoral systems. / Gonzalez-Eiras, Martin; Sanz, Carlos.
In: Journal of Public Economics, Vol. 198, 104399, 01.06.2021.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Author
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Women’s representation in politics: The effect of electoral systems
AU - Gonzalez-Eiras, Martin
AU - Sanz, Carlos
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - We study how electoral systems affect the presence of women in politics in the context of Spanish municipal elections, in which national law mandates that municipalities follow one of two electoral systems: a closed-list system in which voters pick one party-list, or an open-list system, in which voters pick individual candidates. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that the closed-list system increases the share of women among candidates, councilors, and mayors, by 4.1, 4.8, and 7.1 percentage points, respectively. We develop a model that allows us to test for three possible mechanisms: gender differences in the supply of candidates between the electoral systems, voter bias, and party bias. Model estimation indicates that a combination of supply differences and party bias best explains the results.
AB - We study how electoral systems affect the presence of women in politics in the context of Spanish municipal elections, in which national law mandates that municipalities follow one of two electoral systems: a closed-list system in which voters pick one party-list, or an open-list system, in which voters pick individual candidates. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find that the closed-list system increases the share of women among candidates, councilors, and mayors, by 4.1, 4.8, and 7.1 percentage points, respectively. We develop a model that allows us to test for three possible mechanisms: gender differences in the supply of candidates between the electoral systems, voter bias, and party bias. Model estimation indicates that a combination of supply differences and party bias best explains the results.
KW - Faculty of Social Sciences
KW - voting
KW - electoral systems
KW - gender bias
KW - regression discontinuity
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2021.104399
DO - 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2021.104399
M3 - Journal article
VL - 198
JO - Journal of Public Economics
JF - Journal of Public Economics
SN - 0047-2727
M1 - 104399
ER -
ID: 269863722