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Does descriptive representation matter for substantive representation? That is, does electing a black or female representative help enact black or female constituents’ preferred policy outcomes? I argue that, when opinions within a political party differ along racial or other demographic lines, descriptive representation plays a key role in linking the preferences of voters to policy outcomes. Moreover, the presence of an individual representative is not enough to change policy. The process of deliberation changes when women, people of color, and other members of subordinate groups form a substantial presence in a group; majority decisionmaking rules are also common. Descriptive representation matters most when representatives from subordinate groups form a majority, rather than providing advocacy from the minority position.

I test this theory using data on racial disparities in policing. Using propensity score …