Gender and Local Party Leadership in America

A growing body of literature suggests important gender differences in the leadership of political institutions. It seems clear, for instance, that female legislators, especially legislative leaders, approach their jobs differently than do their male colleagues–and that these differences have an impact on the policy process. The exploration of gender differences in party organizations, however, is underdeveloped. This study, based on a telephone survey of 805 local party leaders, suggests that many hypotheses regarding gender-based differences cannot be supported by the data. Yet, important distinctions emerge. Specifically, women party leaders are much more likely to be found on the West Coast, to be older and more ideological, to oversee smaller budgets, and to have a more "responsible" outlook than their male counterparts. This last point, that female party leaders are quite concerned about policy matters and the types of candidates party organizations should support, may have broad ramifications for the future of party politics in the United States. KEYWORDS: Political parties–organizationpolitical parties–leadershippolitical leadership–womenlocal politicsgender politics

Ideology · Legislature · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · Law · Political Influence and Corporate Strategies · Public Administration

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