Voting in the United States is an anachronistic exercise. That is, despite the enormous
advances that technology has brought to all-important tasks such as paying taxes, managing
finances, reviewing medical records, and the like, voting has largely remained unchanged by the
forces of technology. Furthermore, in this country—unlike a number of other advanced
democracies—voting is a one-day event; the absentee process notwithstanding, Americans report
to a designated location and cast a paper ballot, all without any official reprieve from work or
school obligations. The implications that result from this system are innumerable, but the most
significant is low voter turnout.
This dated system of voting does not resonate well with the youth demographic.
According to the Campus Vote Project, “Despite widespread reports of overwhelming youth
engagement in the 2008 election, young voters only made up about 19 percent of the electorate.
[…And only] an estimated 24 percent of all eligible young people ages 18-29 voted in the 2010
midterms.” Put another way, even in the national election that was touted as the most appealing
to youth in our lifetime, which counted more than
23 million voters under the age of 30, nearly
half of eligible young adults did not vote.
The fix for this problem does not lie in campaigns to get young people to the polls; rather,
the ballot box should be brought to them—as well as to all Americans. Internet voting is a
solution that can dramatically increase voter turnout and fundamentally alter the character of our
democracy. It would provide an accessible means for millions to express their political voices
without having to wait in long-lines or miss work or class. And the tools for such mass political
participation are readily available in homes and schools throughout the country; 78.6 percent of
people aged 18-34 live in households with Internet access,
according to the 2010 Census.
Some may argue that voting is far too important an endeavor to complete online.
However, this warrants a more thorough examination of the tasks that are regularly completed
online: paying federal and state taxes, banking, buying and selling property and products, etc.
The technology clearly exists to make this a safe and efficient experience for all, one which
promises to enhance our democracy and make the election of representatives that which it is
supposed to be: a fair contest in which all citizens have a say.
