Corruption Scandals, Electoral Systems, and Voter Support for Women

• In Event: Women's Representation

Abstract

How do political scandals affect support for women candidates, given the realities of political competition? Research has found women are perceived to be less corrupt than men, but also that certain voters will punish women for sex scandals. Further, research has argued that institutions work to shape citizens’ perceptions of corruption. To date, however, little is understood about how the dynamics of electoral competition and electoral institutions might shape voter attitudes toward candidates implicated in corruption scandals. We argue that in electoral systems where they cast their ballots for individual candidates (e.g., single member districts)—rather than political parties (e.g., party lists)—voters are more likely to hold candidates accountable for corruption implications. Further, in electoral systems where personal vote earning attributes are central to elections—e.g., single member districts—gender cues will be more salient and thus we are more likely to observe differential treatment of men and women politicians implicated in scandals. This paper analyzes data from a survey experiment fielded in Taiwan, a democracy with a mixed electoral system, and asks about both vote choice and the decisions of political party leadership. We find that, in general, members of party lists implicated in scandals are punished less than individuals running in single-member districts. Among candidates in districts, moreover, respondents are more likely to continue to support a woman implicated in a scandal than they are to support a man. Further, they believe that party leadership should continue to support women candidates in this position. This paper offers some preliminary insights into underlying dynamics that may help us understand why some politicians fold in the face of political scandal, while others’ political careers survive.

Authors

• Tiffany D. Barnes, University of Kentucky

• Emily Beaulieu Bacchus, University of Kentucky