Election Systems and the Representation of Black Women in American State Legislatures

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 73-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Darcy ◽  
Charles D. Hadley ◽  
Jason F. Kirksey
Keyword(s):  
Black Women ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
Election Systems ◽  
American State

National Policies, Agendas, and Polarization in American State Legislatures: 2011 to 2014

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 939-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Garlick
Keyword(s):  
Political Discourse ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
State Level ◽  
State Legislators ◽  
Roll Call ◽  
National Policies ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
The Media ◽  
American State

Why are some states polarized and others not? This article argues that state legislators are provided with more information by lobbyists and the media about national policies, or state-level bills that are prominent in the national political discourse. Compared with state-specific issues, this additional information encourages legislators to vote along party lines to secure reelection or prepare for a run for higher office. It identifies national policies using lobbying registrations in state legislatures and Congress to show there is more party difference on roll-call votes on national policies in 25 states over 2011 to 2014. It also argues that the notoriety of national issues may encourage party leaders to put these bills on the agenda to build their party brand, or for individual legislators to raise their profiles. It finds that states with more national agendas have more polarized sessions.

Single-Member Districts and the Representation of Women in American State Legislatures: The Effects of Electoral System Change

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. King
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
State Legislatures ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
System Change ◽  
State Legislature ◽  
The State ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Election Results ◽  
American State

This study assesses the effects of changing electoral structure on the representation of women in American state legislatures. Specifically, how does converting from multimember districts (MMDs) to single-member districts (SMDs) affect the proportion of women serving in the state legislature? I use a quasi-experimental design, comparing election results from the four states that eliminated MMDs during the reapportionment following the 1990 census to those in eight states whose systems did not change during this period. The weight of the evidence suggests that abandoning MMDs for SMDs decreases the representation of women in state legislatures.

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