Addressing under-representation of women in municipal government: campaign schools, electoral reform, and community-based policy interventions
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2022
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Abstract
This study examines the policy alternatives available to address under-representation of women in one Canadian municipality. Drawing on data from a survey of participants of a local campaign school, this analysis finds that campaign schools are an effective tool for increasing the likelihood that women will run for office. However, the positive effects of campaign schools are not felt evenly by all participants. Women who have more prior election experience, who are older, who do not have young children and who do not report an intersecting marginal identity, are more likely to benefit from campaign schools. Existing literature points to the potential for campaign schools to address individual-level barriers and the need for electoral reform or quota systems to address political barriers. The results of this study show that the primary barriers experienced by participants were community-level barriers. Thus, additional policy interventions such as family-friendly campaign policies and sanctions against harassment in elections are worthy of consideration. This paper concludes that several policy interventions can be employed together to tackle barriers at the individual, community and political levels. These solutions must embrace the diversity of women candidates, so that all forms of under-representation are addressed.
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Berger, K. (2022) Addressing under-representation of women in municipal government: campaign schools, electoral reform, and community-based policy interventions (Unpublished master's project). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.