Imbalanced Gender Representation in NYS County Legislatures: Exploring the Policy and Spending Impacts

• In Event: 519 - Section on Race, Class and Gender Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 01. Institutions at the Intersections

Abstract

Women’s elected participation in government has historically, and remains today, disproportionately low compared to their male peers. It’s critical to study why women are so underrepresented because gender inequity in formal political power has negative consequences. We view this as more than just an equity issue because gender imbalance has ramifications for policy and law. This study examines both descriptive representation, which involves numerical gender balance, and substantive representation, an examination of whether or not having female elected leaders directs greater focus on what are considered to be women’s issues. The case for greater female participation includes the contention that certain issues that need to be attended to are not sufficiently focused on because they are less likely to be priorities for men. When men predominate there is less agenda setting, policy focus, and legislative emphasis on women’s issues such as healthcare, child and elder care, education, environment, poverty, and social welfare. Women currently comprise 18.5 percent of county legislatures across the state, but the range is wide – while in some counties there are no female county legislators, in a very small number women approach or exceed parity. The purpose of this research is to describe and analyze women’s representation in county local government while exploring gender imbalance and its impacts on policy and spending. There is very little empirical research on this topic at the local/county level of government and this project seeks to fill that gap.

Authors

• Kathleen (KT) Tobin, CRREO

• Emily Vanderpool, Benjamin Center at SUNY New Paltz