Electoral Systems, Party Mobilization and Gender Gaps in Political Participation

Recent studies of gender gaps in political participation in a cross-national perspective have highlighted the importance of the electoral system as an explanation for this phenomenon. Specifically, Kittilson and Schwindt-Bayer (2012) emphasize the rational and symbolic role that proportional electoral systems can perform that allows women to close the gap with men’s levels of political participation. I propose to deepen the investigation of electoral systems and gender gaps in political participation by analysing how the electoral system influences political party mobilization, which in turn affect gender gaps. Kittilson and Schwindt-Bayer argue that proportional electoral systems, in part, provide incentives for political parties to mobilize “undertapped market” such as women, leading to smaller gender gaps in political participation. Previous studies have yet to empirically test whether the mobilization of women by political parties reduces gender gaps. Using Module 2 of the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, I investigate whether women whom have been contacted by political parties are more likely to participate in political activities, resulting in closing the participation gap with men. Additionally, I investigate whether the electoral system affects this relationship between party mobilization and gender gaps in political participation.