The 2000 Presidential Election

The Internet already provides a lot of basic, political information – candidate web sites, party web sites, voters guides. And in case you haven’t already had enough on TV, you can get one last look at some of the candidates...

[sound of Bush and Gore public statements]

The state of Michigan is getting into the election info business, as well. Through the web site of the Secretary of State’s office, you can reach the Michigan Electronic Voter Guide. You’ll find lists and pictures of who’s running and links to other web sites. This is the first year for the state’s Electronic Voter Guide. And Secretary of State spokesperson Liz Boyd says it’s here to stay...

"We do think it’s a success because of the reaction we’ve had to it, and I’m sure you’ll see that now as a regular part of our election activities in even numbered years, and it will only get better."

But if you’re wondering exactly who you can vote for, publius.org can help. You can enter your name, and bring up a customized ballot, listing the races you get to vote on. Publius.org also provides links to candidate web sites, if they have them.

But getting raw information is really only the first step for Internet election sites. Candidates and parties have used them to raise funds. One controversial, but legal use for now, has been vote trading. Some sites are trying to use email to link Gore and Nader voters in different states – the idea being that Nader can pick up votes in state’s where Gore is safe, and Gore can pick up Nader votes where he’s weak.

Beyond vote-trading, the Internet has even made the crime of vote-buying easier. A web site – voteauction-dot-com – was set up to buy and sell votes. Many states, including Michigan, moved to shut it down. But of course, in usual Internet fashion, it moved its operations overseas. And its founders claim to still be operating. But the final big impact of Internet on elections could be actual electronic voting. Last March, Arizona Democrats could vote in their primary using the Internet. And on Election Day, up to two hundred U-S soldiers will be able to use their home or work computers to vote.

Based on the Arizona test, like any software, bugs need to be worked out. Some people couldn’t log on. But whether we move to on-line elections might be more than a technical issue. John Chamberlin is a public policy professor at the University of Michigan. He says we might want to keep physical polling places – because they help us remain connected to our neighbor citizens...

[Chamberlin]: "Standing ten minutes in line at the polling place isn’t an entire waste of time. You’re not only participating in the public ritual, which I think is important, but you’re weighing the importance of what you’re about to do. Other than writing our tax check, showing up at the polls is one of the principle things we do to affirm our membership in the political community."

Critics of on-line voting also say many security and privacy concerns need to be ironed out. Still, Chamberlin says the Internet could solve one problem down the road – voter turnout. Young people might be more inclined to vote if it happens on the Internet. Even without a electronic vote this election season, if you can get on-line, you’ll still be able to get plenty of information. A help, maybe, but one thing won’t change, you still have to pick for yourself on Tuesday. I’m Bill Poorman, Michigan Radio News.

Help on this report came from Denise Kleinman.

Funding Credit: Internet On The Air is a production of the University of Michigan School of Information and Michigan Radio, made possible by a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. For web links and more information on elections and the Internet, visit www.iota.org