According to a poll conducted earlier in 1999, by ActivMedia's FutureScapes study project, two-thirds of Americans would like the option to cast their vote over the Internet. The study also found that a higher percentage of experienced Internet users were in favor of online voting. Seventy-two percent of this group said they would like to vote on ballot referenda over the Internet, compared to 67 percent of the general population. The FuturesScapes study is based on a survey of 5,600 Internet users in the US, and corresponds with a similar poll in the UK, which found that 60 percent of adults in that country have said they would be happy to cast a vote using digital television. The UK poll was conducted by Gallup for Pace Micro Technology plc.
Most people understand the benefits of convenience, speed and accuracy to our democratic process.
With every live election that we conduct, we are demonstrating that our unique Internet voting technology is a safe and secure alternative right now. As Americans interested in expanding civic involvement, we should be looking to the Internet as yet another means of increasing participation in the electoral process. Our preliminary research finds that kids want secure Internet voting because it empowers them to become interactive in politics. There are not enough 'safe' opportunities for students to engage on interactive websites on the internet. It replaces many antiquated devices and broadens the horizons of young people that a century ago was unimaginable.