U.S. women register to vote and vote more often than men, but remain underrepresented in political office.

Biased beliefs appear to impact the gap between voting activity and representation.

Gender and political affiliation influence views on whether men make better political leaders than women.

Levels of women in office correlate with regional beliefs about men being better political leaders.

Psychologists and demographic statisticians at Tulane University's Newcomb Institute note that women in the United States are underrepresented in elected office compared with their male counterparts, even though women register to vote and vote at higher rates than men. When elected, women achieve more legislatively because they introduce and enact bills more often than male legislators. Female representatives are more likely to build legislation on key areas affecting women and families such as childcare, health care, paid family leave, and sexual harassment in the workplace, and are more likely to support health, reproductive rights, child needs, and prevention programming.

The Newcomb Institute's 2024 study, "Biased Beliefs May Be Impeding U.S. Women’s Progress in Political Leadership," references data showing that women’s........

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