Electoral institutions and the manifestation of bias: The effect of the personal vote on the representation of women

Abstract

The personal vote refers to that portion of a candidate's electoral support which originates in his or her personal qualities, qualifications, activities, and record (Cain, Ferejohn, and Fiorina 1987, 9). The presence of a personal vote in an electoral system means that the person up for election matters, not just the candidate's party. Cain, Ferejohn, and Fiorina go so far as to refer to it as relationships between the represented and representatives, claiming that these relationships are more personal, particularistic, and idiosyncratic than in other kinds of systems (8, emphasis mine). Copyright © The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association 2013.