Clicking Your Way to the Polls: The Internet and Political Participation 1996-2008
34 Pages Posted: 14 Dec 2010
Date Written: October 1, 2010
Abstract
This paper explores the connection between Internet access as well as Internet campaign news to political participation, namely voting and campaign activities. Using NES cross-sectional data from 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008, the paper finds that both Internet access and Internet campaign news are statistically related to higher levels of political participation largely confirming and extending the findings of Tolbert and McNeal (2003). However, I also find that the relationship between Internet campaign news and political participation is conditioned by political interest. Internet use is only positively related to turnout for those who say they have lower political interest.
Keywords: Internet, Political Participation, Political Interest
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