Women in US local government (original) (raw)

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Women in US local government: Cities where women thrive in politics
September 2017: After earlier this year in San Antonio, the only female mayor of a top-ten US city was ousted by a male rival, Forth Worth became the largest American city with a women at the helm. There are now only two women in charge of any of the 20 largest US cities – in Fort Worth (TX) and Charlotte (NC). But while the number of female mayors among American cities with more than 200,000 residents is still pitiful low, women are increasingly successful in being elected to city councils. New research conducted by City Mayors shows that while just under 20 per cent of the largest American cities have female mayors, more than 32 per cent of municipal councillors are women. Women representation is strongest in cities like Charlotte (NC), Greenboro (NC), Austin (TX) and Rochester (NY) and non-existent in the city halls of Mesa (AZ), Montgomery (AL) or Buffalo (NY).
Table 1: US cities with the largest percentage of female mayors and elected councillors

US cities with women mayorsThere are 21 large US cities where women make up at least 50 per cent of elected councillors and mayors. They include, in addition to Charlotte, Greensboro, Austin and Rochester, Irvine (CA), Reno (NV) Scottsdale (AZ), Oakland (CA), Arlington (TX), Aurora (CO) and Lexington (KY). The research identified six cities without any women mayors or councillors. In cities with female mayors, at least 20 percent of councillors are women.

Table 2: US cities with female mayors

Comparison of US cities with male / female mayorsSome US cities seem to be more successful than others in electing women to local government. The authors of the City Mayors report on Women in US local government found that while overall some 32.3 per cent of elected mayors and local councillor (sometimes also described as aldermen / alderwomen or city supervisors) are women, in cities with female mayors, women make up 41.9 per cent of elected officials. In cities with male mayors, only 29.6 per cent of elected representatives are women. All cities with no female councillors have male mayors.

Table 3: Comparison of US cities with male / female mayors

International perspectiveOne feature of US local government is the relative small size of its municipal councils. New York City, a city of more than eight million people, has only 51 councillors in addition to the mayor. Los Angeles has only 15 councillors, Chicago 50, Houston 16 – all cities with populations of more than two million. In Europe, Berlin’s city parliament has 160 members, Paris 162, Vienna 100 and Zurich, with a population of less than 400,000, has elected 125 members to its city council. Internationally, cities with a high percentage of women in Local government include Sydney (70%), Paris (51%), Manchester (51%) and Frankfurt (46%). A large number of European capital cities also have women mayors. They include Paris, Rome, Madrid, Stockholm and Warsaw.

Table 4: International examples of women in local government

Notes:
(1) Andy Burnham is Mayor of Greater Manchester, which includes in addition to the City of Manchester districts like Bolton, Oldham, Salford, Stockport and others. The Manchester City Council is responsible for the City of Manchester.
(2) Berlin is a German city state. Its mayor Michael Müller therefore enjoys the status of state prime minister (governor). He is elected by the city parliament.
(3) Frankfurt’s local government consists of the directly elected mayor, 9 full-time, paid councillors and 14 unpaid councillors.
Survey methodologyThe research was carried out by City Mayors in September 2017. It examined 105 cities with populations of more than 200,000. The raw data was supplied by the city councils of the 105 cities.

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