#12253. Appointees versus Elected Officials: The Implications of Institutional Design on Gender Representation in Political Leadership

August 2026publication date
Proposal available till 26-05-2025
4 total number of authors per manuscript0 $

The title of the journal is available only for the authors who have already paid for
Journal’s subject area:
Gender Studies;
Sociology and Political Science;
Places in the authors’ list:
place 1place 2place 3place 4
FreeFreeFreeFree
2350 $1200 $1050 $900 $
Contract №12253.1 Contract №12253.2 Contract №12253.3 Contract №12253.4
1 place - free (for sale)
2 place - free (for sale)
3 place - free (for sale)
4 place - free (for sale)

Abstract:
We explore how institutional design, whether a position is elected or appointed, influences women’s representation in state executive leadership positions, including cabinet secretaries and heads of bureaucratic agencies. We expect this relationship is conditional on if the position addresses a stereotypically feminine or masculine policy area. As women are less politically ambitious and perceive electoral disadvantages in running for masculine positions, we expect the pool of women willing to accept an appointed masculine position is greater than those willing to run for elected office. However, for feminine positions, women may perceive their gender as an advantage and are more willing to run. This article provides insight into how institutional decisions can impact the presence of underrepresented groups in government.
Keywords:
Appointments; descriptive representation; elections; gender and politics; state politics

Contacts :
0