Private Sanctity - e-Practices Overriding Democratic Rigor in e-Voting

Abstract

The discussion on electronic voting has so far mostly focused on technical issues, mainly concerning security and privacy. This paper reports an empirical study on how the symbolic values of democracy, as manifested in the act of voting, are considered by e-voters. The study found that the voters in a student election in actions as well as in stated views gave priority to convenience over security and privacy. They voted electronically from home despite uncertainty about the security of the technical system. We argue that this is an indication that the view of the principles of democratic practices will change, and that what might be called an “e-practices mode of thinking” will to some extent prevail over a “rigid democracy mode”.