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Digital Divide or Just Another Absentee Ballot?

Evaluating Internet Voting in the 2004 Michigan Democratic Primary

American University, Washington, DC

Brian F. Schaffner

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

The use of Internet voting in public elections has been challenged based on claims that it is biased against minorities and lower income voters. Although previous research has supported these claims, we find that race and other socioeconomic factors do not affect the choice of Internet voting when it is used as an absentee voting method. Using individual-level vote data from the 2004 Michigan Democratic Primary, we model the two-stage decision-making process that voters face where they must first decide to cast an absentee ballot and then decide what ballot to use (Internet or mail). Our findings show that Internet voting is not more biased than other absentee voting methods, although younger voters are much more likely to choose to vote online.

Key Words: Internet voting • absentee voting • turnout • political parties • digital divide

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