How Women Win Presidential Elections in Latin America

Between 1990 and 2020, women candidates won only 6% of the world's presidential races. How Women Win Presidential Elections in Latin America explains the factors, strategies, and perceptions that help (or hinder) women to democratically access their country's highest political office. Catherine Reyes-Housholder introduces a theory of gendered incentives and perceived potential to reveal why a political party would break with tradition and nominate a woman. She also shows how citizens respond when women candidates are running in incumbent parties or competing to displace those in power.

Drawing on comparative research on the presidency and gender, How Women Win Presidential Elections in Latin America examines the successful campaigns of Michelle Bachelet in Chile and Dilma Rousseff in Brazil, as well as why Blanca Ovelar lost her presidential race in Paraguay. Reyes-Housholder's findings indicate that voter sexism is not a major factor; however, women do not triumph in these elections in the same ways that men do. Rather, the central unknown factor behind women's victories is how they become candidates of major parties—and gender profoundly influences who parties nominate.

How Women Win Presidential Elections in Latin America is a valuable investigation of women and executive politics.