A quota for women in office: New York gains when government looks like us

Article here. Excerpt:

'So what are we going to do about it? There’s a possible solution that may sound outlandish — even sexist — that nonetheless deserves consideration: quotas.

The term “quota” smacks of negative connotations and is badly in need of a rebranding, but let’s put that aside and focus on substance.

According to the nonprofit organization Representation2020, about 110 countries around the world employ some sort of quota in an effort to elect more women, including Argentina, Sweden, Mexico, Spain, Senegal, Nepal, the Philippines and Australia.

The design of the models varies broadly. In some countries gender quotas are constitutionally enshrined; in others they are established by election law. In some places they apply only to sub-national elections, while in others political parties voluntarily adhere to quotas in selecting their candidates.

The Quota Project reports that 12 nations have 40% female representation or greater in at least one chamber of their legislature, and two countries have over 50% representation. By comparison, the 114th U.S. Congress, which took office in 2015, was 19.4% female.

The arguments against quotas are clear: They discriminate against men, reduce voter choice and can discredit female candidates by emphasizing their gender over their qualifications.'