The purpose of this study is to identify and explore factors that affect the intentions of potential voters to participate in Internet voting systems in the U.S. at the local, state, and federal levels. These factors include voter characteristics as well as voter perceptions related to voting, government, and the use of online technologies. This empirical analysis is based on theories from technology adoption research and recent e-government models. The study uses constructs from diffusion of innovation, technology acceptance, technology quality of service, and web trust theories in a conceptual model to analyze the potential use of future Internet voting systems.;An online survey is used to collect data from several hundred university students and is supplemented with focus group interviews. Multiple regression techniques are used for data analysis. Results indicate that higher levels of online experience and user perceptions of compatibility, relative advantage, trust in technology, and trust in government significantly affect the intention of potential voters to vote online.;As an exploratory study, this research adds to the foundation of research involving online voting systems. The study explores perceptions and characteristics from a population of potential voters within a relatively narrow age range compared to the overall voting population. In spite of this limitation, the study extends e-voting research by including a variety of college students, and by considering Internet voting processes at the overall, local, state, and federal levels.;The study contributes to the understanding of factors that influence the intentions of potential voters to use online voting. This can be useful for policy formulation, design, and implementation decisions about Internet voting systems as well as to identify ways to increase voter participation in a deliberative democracy. The study also relates to recent approaches in public management for improving the ways that government interacts with the citizenry.
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