Electoral Systems and Representative Outcomes

1. Electoral Systems and Representative Outcomes Lisa Young University of Calgary

2. Why so few women? • Does the party “selectorate” discriminate? • At national level, no evidence of this since mid-1980s • BUT qualitative research suggests that minority women asked to run in hopeless ridings • Does money matter? • No compelling evidence that women have more trouble raising money either to contest a nomination or run a campaign • However, persistent belief that raising money poses a barrier for women who might otherwise consider running • Motivation for spending limits, limits on contributions to nomination campaigns at federal level

3. Why women don’t run • Women more likely to run if asked • Where a riding association has a search committee, there’s more likelihood that a woman will be nominated • Few parties employ this practice • Women may perceive barriers to entry • Family/domestic responsibilities • But note that Quebec, BC > PEI, where commuting is easy • Persistent gender gap in political interest, information • Evidence from US that women’s interest in politics increases when a competitive woman is running

7. Electoral System Effects • Women’s representation has increased faster in PR than single member systems • Matland figure • This does not mean that PR systems guarantee more representative outcomes • Cultural differences • Political parties’ approaches to candidate selection

8. How PR Systems May Foster Representative Outcomes • Candidate selection no longer “winner takes all” if district magnitude large enough • Parties may worry about unbalanced lists • Likely to vary by party ideology • In some countries, facilitate legislated quotas • Allow parties that choose affirmative action to implement it more easily • Generally left-wing parties • May have a contagion effect

9. The Role of Parties • A comparative study found that the number of female activists in a party was a slightly stronger predictor of number of women elected than was the electoral system • Party ideology will dictate party’s approach • Creation of new institutions provides an opportunity to amend party practices

10. List Construction: Parties versus Voters • MMP with closed lists lets parties determine which candidates most likely to be elected • Parties can be “held responsible” for list construction • Open lists and STV let voters decide • Lets parties off the hook • Which more likely to foster representative outcomes? • Depends largely on voters • May try to elect “one of their own” • May discriminate against non-traditional candidates • Under STV/Open List, how list is ordered may be important

12. MMP: The New Zealand Experience • Recall Elizabeth McLeay’s presentation

13. Microcosmic representation 1966-2002

14. Pathways to representation: Maori

15. Pathways to representation: women

16. Why the shift from list to electorates in 2002? • Some evidence that Labour party women elected from list cultivating electorates • 3 of 5 Labour women elected from list in 1999 were elected in constituencies in 2002 • Change in partisan composition of list-elected seats • Away from National toward NZ First, United Future