Study: Iowa counties falling short with gender balance

Associated Press

DAVENPORT, Ia. (AP) — A new study shows that Iowa's counties are having trouble achieving gender balance on boards and commissions as required by state law.

The study by Iowa State University's Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics found only four counties in the state are balanced, which is down from six counties two years ago, the Quad-City Times reported. Researchers collected data from 97 counties.

Scott, Harrison, Jasper and Winneshiek counties achieved balance on all seven boards, while 15 other counties fell one board short, the report said.

According to the report, 58.92 percent of boards and commissions were gender balanced, up just 0.28 percent from two years earlier. The percentage of boards that were balanced reached 58.64 percent in 2016, up from 49.53 percent in 2014.

There's better representation of women on health boards, 78 percent of which are gender balanced, but only 40 percent of compensation boards are balanced, said Kelly Winfrey, coordinator of research and outreach for the center.

Winfrey said achieving gender balance will require going beyond accepting applications. It also requires recruiting.

The Scott County Board of Supervisors makes it a point to recruit with an eye toward gender balance, said board member Carol Earnhardt. This is the third report by the center in which Scott County achieved gender balance.

"We look hard to make sure we follow the law, having equal balance, gender balance," she said.

A separate report will be issued for cities soon.