In cyber we trust? Understanding election legitimacy in the age of electronic election systems

This study asks the question “to what extent do electronic election systems affect perceptions of election legitimacy in the U.S.?” The use of these systems is growing in the U.S. and abroad. Frequently, the justification for using electronic technology in election administration is that it reduces human-induced error–accidental error or intentional fraud–making elections cleaner and more credible. This study examines the effects on perceived election legitimacy of two electronic election technologies: electronic poll books and biometric voter identity verification. Poll books are record-keeping devices that allow election officials to determine which individuals are eligible to vote and where. Voters match their identity in the poll book to confirm they are eligible to vote. Electronic technology exists and is used for both poll books and voter identity verification. This pre-registered study tests these ideas in a pair of survey experiments conducted with samples of voting-age adults in the U.S.