The Effects of Professional and Citizen Legislative Structure on Women and Men Legislators

Authors

Donald E. Whistler
Mark C. Ellickson

Volume Number

40

Issue Number

1

Abstract

This survey of all fifty of the state Houses of Representation in 2002-04 finds little difference between women and men legislator's political background characteristics, leadership positions held, and legislative success in professional as well as citizen legislatures. The professional legislatures of the more economically advancedprofessional states do not provide opportunities for women legislators that differ systematically from citizen legislatures. A significant exception, however, is that women in professional legislatures con fared with their men counterparts now have increased their holding of leadership positions, but women in the citizen type did not. Only on liberal ideology and Democratic Tarty affiliation did men and women legislators differ in both types of legislatures. Overall, the results of this study are in strong congruence with the findings of a survey in 1991-92, thereby suggesting a leveling off of women's status in state legislatures concomitant with the leveling off of women's electoral successes in state legislatures.

Recommended Citation

Whistler, Donald E. and Ellickson, Mark C. (2012) "The Effects of Professional and Citizen Legislative Structure on Women and Men Legislators," Journal of Political Science: Vol. 40: No. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/jops/vol40/iss1/3