Gender and Attitudes Toward Quotas for Women Candidates in Canada

Abstract

This paper examines attitudes toward quotas to improve access to elected office using data from a survey of 2,947 Canadians. The analysis is based on a parallel set of questions about the underrepresentation of women and the underrepresentation of racial minorities that were asked of independent subsamples. Women prove to be more concerned than men about the lack of access to elected office of women and members of racial minorities alike, more likely to believe that increased representation will result in better government, and more supportive of quotas to enhance access. This is found to reflect differences between women and men in their concern for the needs and rights of minorities, awareness of discrimination, and orientations toward the political system. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of the results for building support for quotas.

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