Voting for Women: How the Public Evaluates Women Candidates by Kathy Dolan

Author:Kathy Dolan [Dolan, Kathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Political Science, General
ISBN: 9780429971730
Google: HQLFDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2018-03-09T03:36:48+00:00

4

Who Votes for Women Candidates? Voter Demographics

RECALL THAT CHAPTER 1 suggests that there are several reasons why voters might choose (or fail to choose) to vote for a woman candidate. Following Hanna Pitkin's formulation of the concept of representation, voters may choose women (or any) candidates because they seek descriptive ("standing for") or substantive ("acting for") representation. The first of these, descriptive representation, focuses attention on the demographic characteristics of both voters and candidates for office. This relationship can encompass a number of considerations: race, ethnicity, sex, religion, and even age. Voters who seek to elect "one of their own" to office are motivated by a belief, either implicit or explicit, that candidates who share their personal characteristics will represent that group in office. At its most basic level, descriptive representation can be important to voters who don't see enough people like them in office and want the picture of government to reflect people like themselves. Correcting this underrepresentation can be a legitimate expression of the desire to change the face of government. And yet voting on the basis of descriptive representation is not exclusively carried out by voters who choose candidates with whom they share traits. Indeed, white voters can value racial diversity and seek out candidates who represent racial minorities, and men can vote for women candidates to increase the sex balance of elected offices.

A consideration of voting based on demographic traits causes us to ask the question, "Who votes for women candidates?" Are there certain types of people who are more or less likely to support women? Can we use race, sex, religion, or other variables to identify those who might be most sympathetic to women candidates? These questions will be the focus of this chapter.

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