Women hold only 24.2% of the seats in state legislatures across the United States, despite being 50.8% of the total population. This low figure presents serious concerns about the quality of representation for half of the population. In this dissertation, I examine the state of Oklahoma, which is currently ranked 48th in the nation in regard to female representation.
There are three explanations for the low level of female representation in state legislatures. The first explanation centers on voter and fundraising biases, in addition to other state legislative structures, such as term limits and district characteristics. The second explanation argues that political gatekeepers fail to recruit, endorse, or otherwise support female candidates. The third explanation posits that women are not politically ambitious and therefore do not seek elected office. This dissertation utilizes a single state study that examines all three explanations to determine the explanation that best explains the low representation in Oklahoma. I use a mixed methods approach. I develop an original dataset of the legislative elections in Oklahoma from 2002 – 2012. The database includes candidate information, such as gender, party, vote share, campaign funds, and incumbency status. District level variables include measures for urbanness, political ideology, level of ethnic population, and distance from the capitol. I also survey state legislative candidates, party chairs, and other political gatekeepers about campaign experiences. I also interview several legislative candidates, party chairs, and recruiters. I further utilize interviews from the Women of the Oklahoma Legislature project. Statistical analyses, survey data, and narratives from interviews provide evidence of a lack of political ambition in Oklahoma women. Data from elections and statements made by political gatekeepers demonstrates that the low level of female representation in Oklahoma is due to a lack of candidates and a viable recruitment strategy by the parties. Further, female legislative candidates in Oklahoma principally only emerge when they perceive a threat to a preferred policy. If an active and successful recruitment strategy is employed in the state, the numbers of female representatives should rise. By testing all three explanations for the low level of female representation in a single state, this dissertation contributes to the discourse of the lack of descriptive representation.