Welch (1985) found that there was an absolute difference in voting between men and women. Men vote 20 points more conservatively on a scale of 0 to 100. This difference is substantially and statistically significant. Welch somewhat attributes this difference in voting to constituency bases of men and women. Women are more likely to represent Northern and urban constituencies with high proportions of blacks and immigrants. Furthermore, Welch (1985) said that female’s greater liberalism may be “because they are in a minority position, they may have more ‘liberal’ sentiment on domestic social-welfare issues” (p. 127). Women do vote more liberally, however, the gender gap in voting continues to narrow. Another study was conducted to determine the effects of gender on congressional behavior. Vega and Firestone (1995) found that female members of Congress had slightly more liberal voting behaviors when compared to their male counterparts. However, they found that party, constituency and district characteristics were better predictors of voting than gender. Does gender effect legislative roll-call voting? Hogan (2008) conducted a study to determine if there was a gender difference in voting on economic and regulatory policies. Hogan used the voting behavior of representatives in the state houses of 28 states. Hogan found that Democratic female legislators were around 0.17 of a standard deviation less conservative than Democratic male legislators. Republican female legislators were 0.06 of a standard deviation more conservative than Republican male legislators. However, political party affiliation had a statistically significant effect on both men and women. Hogan theorizes that greater pressure among parties to adhere to
Welch (1985) found that there was an absolute difference in voting between men and women. Men vote 20 points more conservatively on a scale of 0 to 100. This difference is substantially and statistically significant. Welch somewhat attributes this difference in voting to constituency bases of men and women. Women are more likely to represent Northern and urban constituencies with high proportions of blacks and immigrants. Furthermore, Welch (1985) said that female’s greater liberalism may be “because they are in a minority position, they may have more ‘liberal’ sentiment on domestic social-welfare issues” (p. 127). Women do vote more liberally, however, the gender gap in voting continues to narrow. Another study was conducted to determine the effects of gender on congressional behavior. Vega and Firestone (1995) found that female members of Congress had slightly more liberal voting behaviors when compared to their male counterparts. However, they found that party, constituency and district characteristics were better predictors of voting than gender. Does gender effect legislative roll-call voting? Hogan (2008) conducted a study to determine if there was a gender difference in voting on economic and regulatory policies. Hogan used the voting behavior of representatives in the state houses of 28 states. Hogan found that Democratic female legislators were around 0.17 of a standard deviation less conservative than Democratic male legislators. Republican female legislators were 0.06 of a standard deviation more conservative than Republican male legislators. However, political party affiliation had a statistically significant effect on both men and women. Hogan theorizes that greater pressure among parties to adhere to