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Debating E-voting throughout Europe: constitutional structures, parties' concepts and Europeans' perceptions
Techno-optimists with a more cosmopolitan focus agree that E-voting lies at the heart of implementing e-government and digitalization into democratic structures. The example of the “e-state” Estonia proves the relevance: E- voting has been in (legal) practice since 2005, and research can take muc...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Philipps-Universität Marburg
2023
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | PDF Full Text |
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| Summary: | Techno-optimists with a more cosmopolitan focus agree that E-voting lies at
the heart of implementing e-government and digitalization into democratic
structures. The example of the “e-state” Estonia proves the relevance: E-
voting has been in (legal) practice since 2005, and research can take much
empirical evidence from this laboratory for digital innovation. The fact that
Estonia is an exception to the rule within the European Union (EU) member
states explains the comparative approach to the (possible) legal framework for
eparticipation.With focusing on liberal democracies’ constitutional predefinitions,
voting procedures in the virtual age have not been compared yet. However, we
have yet to learn much about the extent to which E-voting exists in European
constitutions, even after one generation of intense debate about its possible
implementation. Perceptions of E-voting matter because of the omnipresent
digital transformation and discussions about how democracies (could) digitalize.
E-voting represents a bottom-up part of top-down e-government and, through
this, digital transformation. This research explores whether party policies, legal
frameworks, and citizens’ perceptions resemble E-voting on the national and
European levels. To explore this question, several mixed-methods approaches
are used. The question of “legalistic opportunity structures” is approached by
relying on legal frameworks of European member states, parties’ policies derived
from their manifestos, and survey data from three Eurobarometer waves. Using
a dictionary approach, the research design analyses the constitutions, electoral
laws and manifestos of parties running for the European elections, combined with
a classic analysis of surveys. Therefore, these sources are analyzed using several
mixedmethods approaches. The results have broader implications that we need to
study in more detail what the digital transformation and the constitutionalization
of electronic decision-making entail to develop a digital democracy and link it
to a public sphere throughout Europe. Ultimately, it is analyzed whether the EU
will push its member states to E-voting and implement E-voting for European
elections. This would question the normative basing of democracy and how
responsivity is brought into place. |
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| Item Description: | Gefördert durch den Open-Access-Publikationsfonds der UB Marburg. |
| DOI: | 10.3389/fpos.2023.982558 |