Internet Voting for Expatriates: The Swiss Case

Authors

  • Micha Germann Centre for Democracy Studies Aarau (ZDA) at the University of Zurich Centre for Comparative and International Studies at ETH Zurich
  • Uwe Serdült

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v6i2.302

Keywords:

Internet voting, electronic voting, online voting, e-voting, expatriates, Swiss abroad

Abstract

In 2008 the first Swiss canton introduced internet voting for expatriates, thus initiating the second phase in Switzerland’s piecemeal i-voting roll-out. More cantons soon followed, and as of this writing expatriates from 12 out of the 26 cantons can vote online. This paper focuses on the second phase involving expatriates. We address three questions at the core of the internet voting research agenda. First, the popularity question: to what extent do expatriates make use of the new online channel? Second, the ‘who’ question: what is the profile of the typical expatriate i-voter? Finally, the turnout question: did the extension of internet voting to the expatriates have an effect on electoral mobilization? Our findings indicate that the online channel is very popular among expatriates, both if compared to other trials in Switzerland itself and internationally. On the other hand, known patterns regarding the profile of i-voters and the effect on mobilization seem to be also replicated in the expatriate trials. Expatriate i-voters tend to be young, male, and there is some evidence of an upper-class bias. Thus, usage of the online channel seems driven by the digital divide also among expatriates. Moreover, we find some evidence that i-voting did not affect electoral mobilization, similarly to trials involving residents.

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Author Biography

Micha Germann, Centre for Democracy Studies Aarau (ZDA) at the University of Zurich Centre for Comparative and International Studies at ETH Zurich

Micha Germann is a PhD researcher at the Centre for Democracy Studies (ZDA) at the University of Zurich and the Centre for Comparative and International Studies at ETH Zurich. His research interests include self-determination conflicts, direct democracy, internet voting, and voting advice applications (VAAs).

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Published

02.12.2014

How to Cite

Germann, M., & Serdült, U. (2014). Internet Voting for Expatriates: The Swiss Case. JeDEM - EJournal of EDemocracy and Open Government, 6(2), 197–215. https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v6i2.302

Issue

Section

Research Papers