Long-run patterns in the participation and representation of women in western Canadian provincial elections: 1917-2019.

Using the Canadian Elections Database, this thesis codes the gender of all candidates in western Canada’s provincial elections from 1917 to 2019. It then explores the trends and patterns apparent in women’s rate of participation (running for office), and representation (elected to office). A descriptive overview of the region of western Canada is undertaken first. This thesis then analyzes women’s electoral participation and success further into the effect of province, political party, and of ideology (left-right divide). It explores the percentages of female candidates running for office and elected over time, women’s success compared to men, and the effect of gender on difference in average votes. The rates of women running and elected have increased over time. Women have always run and been elected at lower rates than men. Depending on election context, women sometimes receive more average votes than men. More interesting is that this thesis finds women’s increasing direct role in provincial politics in western Canada is not linear. The importance of 1970 for women’s rate of participation and 1980 for women’s rate of representation are highlighted. Before these respective dates, women ran for office and were elected in low static numbers. After these dates women’s rate of participation and representation began to increase much more dramatically and substantively.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Political Science

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Hayes, Alex Daniel Woolliams

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Sayers, Anthony Michael

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Lucas, Jack
• Brodie, Ian Ross

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/dspace/40934

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/116088