There Can Be Only One (Woman on the Ticket): Gender in Candidate Nominations

Abstract

Party elites and voters are reluctant to cede multiple ballot positions to women simultaneously, so that men are able to have running mates of either gender but women tend to have male running mates. Evidence from American gubernatorial elections, state legislative caucuses, and presidential tickets from around the world confirms this: nominating a woman for the top position reduces a party’s likelihood of nominating a woman for the second position by half or more.