Exploring the Journey and Perspectives of Women County Executives in Tennessee

The need for equal gender representation is crucial at local political levels. Of the 95 counties in Tennessee, only three currently have women county executives, and this representation is even less than in 2022 when five counties were led by women in the executive role. Although women account for only 19.8% of county chief executive officers nationwide, Tennessee falls well below the average with a mere 3.2% representation across all counties. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and better understand the professional journeys of women county executives in Tennessee. Three themes emerged from analysis of the data: the nurturing/caregiving nature of women, the importance of political parties, and the impact on children. The study expands the current knowledge base on the career progression of elected women to help equalize women’s presence in county government across the state.