A new study by three UW-Extension educators addresses the reasons why more women than men, statistically, opt out of political endeavors.
One of the study’s authors, Jenny Erickson, explained the importance of the research in a Cooperative Extension release.
“Once we have a better understanding of the barriers, we can develop programs that will encourage more women to seek local elected office,” Erickson said in the release.
Erickson and her collaborators, Victoria Solomon and Dan Hill, conducted a survey of potential candidates for local elected office, including county board supervisors and people identified by UW-Extension colleagues and community leaders.
The authors distributed more than 1,600 surveys asking current officials and potential candidates to identify barriers in running for office. They received 600 responses from 38 counties, according to the statement.
Solomon said in the release he believes their research pinpointed women’s hesitations in running for office.
The results displayed a significant difference in how men and women perceived their qualification to serve in local elected office. According to the release, 71 percent of men surveyed said they felt well-qualified, compared to 60 percent of women.
More women also described making decisions in public and concerns about criticism as barriers than men, according to the release.
“I think what we learned can help local leaders refine their efforts when looking to recruit candidates for local offices,” Hill said in the release. “It should help them identify additional diverse voices to their local boards and councils.”
