Permissive electoral systems and descriptive representation

Existing research about the effects of electoral systems on descriptive representation is mixed. In this paper, we test implications of theoretical arguments about the impact of electoral rules on voters’ propensity to vote for women candidates. We conducted a survey experiment during the 2017 provincial election in British Columbia, Canada, using actual candidates in both real and hypothetical electoral districts. We find that more permissive, or candidate-centered, forms of proportional representation do not improve descriptive representation of women; if anything, they diminish it. We interpret these results as being driven by the supply of candidates – voters tend to vote for incumbent, well-known candidates who happen to be predominantly men. Our findings provide a cautionary note about how electoral rules can interact with real-world experiences and conditions.

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Work Title Permissive electoral systems and descriptive representation
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Kostanca Dhima
  2. Sona N. Golder
  3. Laura B. Stephenson
  4. Karine Van der Straeten
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Electoral Studies
Publication Date October 1, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2021.102381
Deposited January 18, 2022

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  • Created
  • Added Dhima_etal_ElectoralStudies2021.pdf
  • Added Creator Kostanca Dhima
  • Added Creator Sona N. Golder
  • Added Creator Laura B. Stephenson
  • Added Creator Karine Van der Straeten
  • Published
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