Unexpected Winners

The Significance of an Open-List System on Women's Representation in Poland

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6354015
AutoresSheri Kunovich (Southern Methodist University, autor correspondente)
Ano2012
Volume8
Fascículo2
Páginas153-177
Data de publicação2012-06-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoPolitics & Gender (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1743-923X • E-ISSN: 1743-9248
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s1743923x12000141
OpenAlexW1971894208
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas29
Referências citadas39

Scholars have debated the impact of open-list systems on women's representation. While some argue that open lists provide a unique opportunity for voters to overcome parties' bias against women, others argue that they create additional barriers. I examine several mechanisms that impact women's representation within Poland's open-list system. Results suggest that 1) voters shift women's original list placements positively across all parties over three elections; 2) these shifts are more pronounced when women's overall presence on the list and list placement are lower, regardless of party; and 3) positive shifts often result in the election of substantially more women than would have been expected. These findings add to our understanding of open-list systems by documenting variability in the effects of preferential voting across time and party in a postcommunist context. In addition, the unexpected positive effects of preferential voting in Poland add to a growing body of evidence that voters and parties on the center and right support female candidates at rates approaching or similar to parties on the left

Context (archaeology · Geography · Political science · Politics · Proportional representation · Representation (politics · Voting · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Law