Prompt's TechBlog
More voters turn to internet for advice
06 July 2005
Posted by Sean McManus
When I was at school there was a kid two years older than me called Eric who said he was going to start a political party. His idea was that his constituents would be able to phone up and tell him how to vote on each issue in the House, and he'd listen to those who got in touch and go with the balance of opinion. The idea never took off - apart from anything else, Eric couldn't spend all day on the phone. He had homework to do.
Today it would be easy to run a party according to Eric's vision, using the internet to consult constituents. Powerful lobby groups could flood the discussion forums but at least the discussion would be out in the open, instead of behind closed doors. Yet the parliamentary machine still sees the internet as a way to convert people to the party's line, rather than a way to solicit feedback.
The Hansard Society has this week reported that 15% of the population went online during the 2005 election season to get more information about the election. While a BBC story suggests The Hansard Society considers this figure to be low, in an election with about 60% turnout, it could represent as many as a quarter of those who later expressed a vote.
Of those surveyed, 19% said the internet had helped them to make up their mind, compared to just 6% in 2001. Participation in discussion forums, opinion polls, volunteering and donations has doubled since the 2001 election, but remains low.
The Hansard Society says that parties used the internet too much as a one-way conversation.
Our political parties are missing an opportunity to involve more people in decision making. It's in their interests too: popular policies win votes and party subscriptions fund campaigns. And, let's not forget, they're supposed to be there to represent us in any case.
It could be five years until the next election, by which time a whole new generation of voters will have grown up with the internet. There is plenty of time for parties to seize the initiative and start using the internet as a valuable consultative tool, not just an advertising medium. They would do Eric's youthful optimism proud.
Today it would be easy to run a party according to Eric's vision, using the internet to consult constituents. Powerful lobby groups could flood the discussion forums but at least the discussion would be out in the open, instead of behind closed doors. Yet the parliamentary machine still sees the internet as a way to convert people to the party's line, rather than a way to solicit feedback.
The Hansard Society has this week reported that 15% of the population went online during the 2005 election season to get more information about the election. While a BBC story suggests The Hansard Society considers this figure to be low, in an election with about 60% turnout, it could represent as many as a quarter of those who later expressed a vote.
Of those surveyed, 19% said the internet had helped them to make up their mind, compared to just 6% in 2001. Participation in discussion forums, opinion polls, volunteering and donations has doubled since the 2001 election, but remains low.
The Hansard Society says that parties used the internet too much as a one-way conversation.
Our political parties are missing an opportunity to involve more people in decision making. It's in their interests too: popular policies win votes and party subscriptions fund campaigns. And, let's not forget, they're supposed to be there to represent us in any case.
It could be five years until the next election, by which time a whole new generation of voters will have grown up with the internet. There is plenty of time for parties to seize the initiative and start using the internet as a valuable consultative tool, not just an advertising medium. They would do Eric's youthful optimism proud.
# posted by Sean McManus at 10:33 AM 
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