Success in eVoting – Success in eDemocracy? The Estonian Paradox

Posted: 27 May 2016

See all articles by Maarja Toots

Maarja Toots

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) - Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance

Tarmo Kalvet

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) - Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance

Robert Krimmer

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) - Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance

Date Written: 2011

Abstract

Estonia has acquired the reputation of a successful e-voting country, and perhaps justifiably so. It was the first country in the world to enable remote online voting in nationwide elections in 2005 and the share of e-voters has been on a rise ever since, now reaching one-third of all voters. Against this backdrop of a seemingly flourishing e-democracy, we set out to ask if the country’s success in e-voting also implies its success in e-democracy in a broader sense. In a qualitative case study, we compare Estonia’s experience in e-voting with the implementation and outcomes of three e-participation projects to demonstrate that considerable discrepancies exist between the take-up and perceived success of e-voting vis-à-vis other e-democracy instruments. In light of these findings the paper further discusses the factors that are likely to account for these differences and highlights the need to look beyond the success of online voting for a holistic evaluation of the state of e-democracy in a given country.

Keywords: E-Democracy, E-Participation, E-Voting, Estonia, Case Study

Suggested Citation

Toots, Maarja and Kalvet, Tarmo and Krimmer, Robert, Success in eVoting – Success in eDemocracy? The Estonian Paradox (2011). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2757704

Maarja Toots

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) - Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance ( email )

Akadeemia street 3
Study building X, 4th floor
Tallinn, 12618
Estonia

Tarmo Kalvet

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) - Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance ( email )

Akadeemia street 3
Study building X, 4th floor
Tallinn, 12618
Estonia

Robert Krimmer (Contact Author)

Tallinn University of Technology (TUT) - Ragnar Nurkse School of Innovation and Governance ( email )

Akadeemia street 3
Social Science Building (SOC), 4th floor
Tallinn, 12618
Estonia

HOME PAGE: http://www.robert.krimmer.ee

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