여성의 정치적 대표성에 대한 요구가 지방선거에 어떻게 반영되는가는 정당이 정치충원의 핵심적 기능을 담당한다는 점에서 정당공천의 논리와 과정, 그 결과에 초점을 둘 필요가 있다. 특히 2006년 지방선거의 제도적 변화로써 기초의원 선거에 도입된 정당공천제와 중선거구제에 주목하고 이러한 변화가 여성의 정치참여에 어떠한 영향을 미쳤는지 분석하였다.분석 결과, 여성의 정치충원은 다른 어떤 사회적 조건보다 정당 등 정치적 조건에 의해 직접적으로 제한 받고 확대될 수 있다는 점에서 정당공천의 중요성을 확인하였으며, 여성 공천후보의 다수가 당직자를 비롯한 정치인 출신이란 점에서 여성들의 적극적인 정당 활동이 정치적 대표성 확대에 매우 중요한 전략임을 주장하였다. 한편, 중선거구제의 도입은 여성의 정치참여에 아무런 실효성을 발견할 수 없었다. 이는 여성후보의 수가 매우 적은 현실과 특히 정당지지가 다른 어떤 제도적 효과보다 당선에 압도적인 영향을 미치는 현실이기 때문에 선거구제 개편이 적어도 여성참여에 있어서는 제한적인 효과만을 지닌다는 것을 뜻한다.

Political parties play a large part in women's political representation in local elections as they are heavily involved in the political recruitment during elections. This paper pays close attention to the logic and the process of the party nomination of candidates. The 2006 local election was the first election held under the new electoral system allowing party nomination and adopting multi-member district system in municipal council elections. The election is studied in the view of how these new features affected women's electoral participation. This study confirms that party nomination is also very important for women as it is for men, and nomination is directly contingent upon the extent of their involvement and political career within a party. Women's active involvement in a party is the key strategy for increasing their representation in local politics, as shown in the irresistible fact that most party candidates have served as party officials. On the other hand, the influence of new electoral district system on women's participation is almost dismissive. It is not the electoral system, but the fact that women are still minorities in politics, and party support, more than anything else, is the most crucial factor in winning the election.

Political parties play a large part in women's political representation in local elections as they are heavily involved in the political recruitment during elections. This paper pays close attention to the logic and the process of the party nomination of candidates. The 2006 local election was the first election held under the new electoral system allowing party nomination and adopting multi-member district system in municipal council elections. The election is studied in the view of how these new features affected women's electoral participation. This study confirms that party nomination is also very important for women as it is for men, and nomination is directly contingent upon the extent of their involvement and political career within a party. Women's active involvement in a party is the key strategy for increasing their representation in local politics, as shown in the irresistible fact that most party candidates have served as party officials. On the other hand, the influence of new electoral district system on women's participation is almost dismissive. It is not the electoral system, but the fact that women are still minorities in politics, and party support, more than anything else, is the most crucial factor in winning the election.

women's political representation, party nomination, multi-member district system, local election)