Separate but Not Equal

Chile altered its electoral rules for municipal elections in 2002. The new rules separated mayoral and council member elections, and while the latter continue to use proportional representation, mayors are now chosen based on plurality. These changes serve as a natural test of the effects of electoral rules on women’s political representation. The Chilean case demonstrates (1) that electoral reform is gendered, (2) that women’s representation is shaped by both formal and informal rules, and (3) that electoral rules have different effects on mayoral and council member positions, demonstrating that the “glass ceiling” for executive positions is harder to crack.