Sex Differences in Constituent Engagement*

Abstract

Objectives. This article updates and expands the research on sex differences in legislators' relationships with constituents. Methods. A 2008 survey of legislators from 26 states is used to collect data on constituent-initiated contact, hours legislators spend keeping in touch with constituents or conducting casework, legislators' use of constituent information, and accuracy of legislators' perceptions of constituents. Results. The findings suggest that female legislators do not differ from male legislators in the time they spend contacting constituents or doing casework or in the accuracy of their perceptions of constituents. However, female legislators received more contact from constituents, and were more likely to attend meetings and use constituent-derived information. Conclusion. Although sex has small effects on the amount of contact legislators have with constituents, it does affect the way legislators contact their constituents. This is likely because engagement has become an important role for legislators. Thus, while legislators all have to be actively engaged, they have some flexibility in how they engage with constituents.Previous literature indicates that female policymakers have more contact with constituents and perform more casework than their male colleagues (Richardson and Freeman, 1995;Carey, Niemi, and Powell, 1998;Epstein, Niemi, and Powell, 2005;Thomas, 1992; Flammang, 1985:108). This article updates and expands on this literature. It uses recent data to examine whether the gender gap in legislators' engagement with constituents still exists. Much of the research examining sex differences in legislator-constituent engagement is somewhat dated and may no longer accurately describe sex differences. If sex effects are contextual, then as context changes, sex effects should change as well. Additionally, while research has explored whether male and female legislators differ in their constituent contact, there is no literature examining whether sex affects the accuracy of legislators' perceptions of their districts or if there are sex differences in the use of constituent-derived information. This article helps fill that void.

Old versus New: The Comparative Efficiency of Mail and Internet Surveys of State Legislators

“…Because state legislators come from a wide array of institutional and electoral systems and have diverse demographic traits, they offer an opportunity to explore effects of phenomena not found at the national level in the United States. Research on state legislators has advanced our understanding of the roles of sexual orientation, gender, and race in political phenomena (see, for example, Barrett 1995; Hedge, Button, and Spears 1996; Herrick 2010; Thomas 1992; Thomas and Welch 1991); how institutional features affect aspects of policy making (see, for example, Carey et al 2006; Francis 1985); and factors affecting how legislators make decisions (Hedlund and Freeman 1981; Mooney 1991a; 1991b) and represent their constituents (see, for example, Ellickson and Whistler 2001; Erikson, Luttbeg, and Holloway 1975; Freeman and Richardson 1996; Maestas 2003; Uslaner and Weber 1979). However, the most common method of surveying, mail surveys, is expensive, slow, and has declining response rates.…”

Explaining Citizen Hostility against Women Political Leaders: A Survey Experiment in the United States and Sweden

“…6. In previous research on constituent-representative relations, women reported receiving more constituent contacts than men (e.g., Herrick 2010;Lazarus and Steigerwalt 2019;Norris 1997;Richardson and Freeman 1995). This scholarship has not, however, been able to account for the horizontal and vertical gender segregation in politics.…”

The Gendered Representational Costs of Violence against Politicians

“…Based on previous research, including the increased risk of violence connected with visibility for women politicians, I expect that women will be particularly prone to withdraw from visibility as a result of violence. Regarding distancing from constituents, women representatives seem to prioritize constituency contacts more than men (Herrick 2010; Thomas 1992). This might indicate that they are less prone to decrease their constituent interactions due to violence.…”