Does the Internet Increase Voter Participation in Elections

The Internet may serve as a new linkage institution enhancing voter information about candidates and elections, and in turn stimulating increased participation. Using NES survey data and multivariate analysis we find respondents with access to the Internet and online political information were significantly more likely to report turning out to vote in the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections, after controlling for socioeconomic conditions, partisanship, race/ethnicity, gender, age and state environmental factors, but not in the 1998 midterm election. Across racial and ethnic groups probability simulations indicate access to the Internet and online campaign information significantly increased the probability of voting by an average of 20% in 2000, after holding other factors constant. The data suggests the mobilizing potential of the Internet during elections, regardless of race/ethnicity. In 2000 there was significantly reduced political coverage of the party conventions by the mainstream media, increasing the migration of coverage to cable and the Internet. If political information necessary for an informed electorate is moving to the Internet, but not all citizens have access to this venue, the government may have an obligation to provide Internet access to the low income and racial/ethnic minorities.

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