GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ – The events surrounding the vote count in the state of Florida easily ranks among one of the most covered and most followed news stories of the past decade. A recent on-line survey of a random sample of Internet users across the country indicates that 91% of this group says they followed the events in Florida very or somewhat closely, and that two-thirds have signed on to find out the latest details. Additionally, six out of 10 Internet users followed the presidential campaign using the Internet this past fall, and half think that Internet voting will be the dominant method for voting in the future. Despite this widespread use of the web, Internet users still tend to think that television is the most up-to-date, easy to use, and enjoyable news medium, although the Internet is seen as just as accurate as television.
The on-line Internet survey was based on a sample of Internet users drawn from recent Gallup Poll telephone surveys. At the end of each survey, respondents were asked if they had access to the Internet and e-mail, and if so, were asked to give their e-mail address for participation in future on-line surveys. The resulting sample was contacted by e-mail and given directions, along with a unique PIN number, for participation in the online Internet survey. Given that the original telephone sample is a random sample of the adult population in the United States, the resulting Internet sample represents a random sample of Internet users with access to e-mail, within the usual margin of error and practical survey limitations.
The survey shows that Internet users are using the unique capabilities of the medium to follow the current controversy in Florida. This news event is particularly suited for coverage on the Internet in that so many facets of the controversy happen throughout the day and simultaneous to one another. Among Internet users in the sample, 67% report having used the Internet to look up information about the Florida controversy. In fact, 50% of that group says they look up information on-line at least once a day, and 21% say they check the Internet more than once a day. One obvious reason for the high amount of monitoring is the fact that the majority of Internet users – 59% – indicate they believe the post-election situation is a "major problem" and another 15% describe it as a "constitutional crisis." These numbers resemble the results found in surveys of the general population.
Internet Use During the Campaign
The 2000 Election may have also ushered in an era when the Internet
became a truly significant component of Americans' relationship to
the campaign – enhancing as it did the public's ability to
access information, interact with others, and offer donations. When
asked how they used the Internet during the political campaigns,
60% of Internet users indicate they used it to follow political
news, and 52% note that they used it to find information about the
candidate's issue positions and backgrounds. Also, 34% of Internet
users report that they have personally been to a presidential
candidate's Web site. Among that group 75% report they went to
George W. Bush's site and 61% went to Al Gore's site, while 22%
went to Ralph Nader's Web site.
However, when Internet users are asked about more active uses of the Internet, rather than these passive uses, their reported usage changes dramatically. Just 10% of Internet users report they sent an e-mail to the presidential candidates either supporting or criticizing their positions. Additionally, only 5% of Internet users indicate they used chat rooms to visit with other users about the presidential elections. Only 4% of Internet users note having ever used the Internet to send a donation to particular candidates or campaigns.
"Now turning back to the period of time before the presidential election, did you use the Internet --?"
SUMMARY TABLE OF INTERNET USE
|
November 2000 |
Yes |
|
% |
|
|
To follow the news about the presidential campaign |
60 |
|
To find out information about the candidates' issue positions or backgrounds |
52 |
|
To send e-mail to the presidential candidates supporting or criticizing their positions |
10 |
|
To visit with other Internet users in chat rooms about the status of the presidential election |
5 |
|
To send in donations to particular candidates or campaigns |
4 |
Opinion of the News Mediums
The survey conducted Nov. 21-28 also asked Internet users which
news sources they found to be the most accurate, immediate, easiest
to use, and enjoyable. When it comes to reliability and accuracy,
no single medium draws the most favor among Internet users. Given a
choice, 22% of the on-line survey respondents think the Internet is
most accurate, 20% favor television, and 18% indicate newspapers
are the most reliable. Another 22% said "none of these" were the
most accurate, and 18% had no opinion.
The majority of the Internet-using public strongly believes the television is the most "up-to-date and immediate" news source (59%) followed by the Internet with 32%. Newspapers only draw 1% of this group citing their immediacy. Internet users also cite television as the easiest news source to use with 65% indicating it, again followed by the Internet with 23% and newspapers with just 9%. A separate question asked Internet users which news source they enjoyed using the most. Television again controls the news-collecting world, with 54% reporting they enjoy it most. Another 24% report enjoying surfing the Internet most, while 11% cite reading the newspaper as the most enjoyable.
The Paradox of Voting Over the Internet
While Internet users tend to believe that voting online is the wave
of the future and would prefer that method to voting in person,
many are also concerned that it could lead to voter fraud. Overall,
50% of respondents feel the Internet will eventually become the
"dominant method for voting" in this country. Among this group, 18%
think this will happen by 2004, 42% by 2008, 21% by 2012, and 14%
by 2016 or later.
Also, 29% of respondents claim that being able to vote via the Internet would make them more likely to vote. And, if they were given a choice between voting in person or voting over the Internet, 62% of Internet users would choose Internet voting and just 30% in-person voting. Still, Internet users are concerned about possible voter fraud, as 44% believe Internet voting would be more subject to such fraud, compared with 14% who think there would be less fraud. Another 30% think Internet voting would have no effect on voter fraud one way or the other.
Survey Methods
The results below are based on an on-line survey with a randomly selected national sample of 623 e-mail users, 18 years and older, conducted Nov. 21-28, 2000. The sample was collected from random telephone samples of the adult population of the United States, based on those who indicated in response to questions that they had access to the Internet, had an active e-mail address and were willing to participate in future on-line surveys. Respondents were contacted by e-mail, given access information for the on-line survey, and furnished with a respondent-specific PIN number to guarantee that each respondent participated in the survey only once.
For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 4 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
"How closely have you been following the news about the current controversy concerning the outcome of the November 7th presidential election–very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all closely?"
|
Very |
Somewhat closely |
Not too closely |
Not at all closely |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
54 |
37 |
7 |
2 |
* |
"Which of these statements do you think best describes the situation that has occurred since the Nov. 7 election for president – a constitutional crisis, a major problem for the country, but not a crisis, a minor problem for the country, or not a problem at all?"
|
Constitutional crisis |
Major problem |
Minor problem |
Not a problem |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
15 |
59 |
19 |
6 |
1 |
"Have you used the Internet to look up information or to follow the news about the election controversy in Florida?"
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
67 |
32 |
1 |
"How often would you say you have used the Internet to look up information about the election controversy – more than once a day, every day, a few times a week, or once a week or less?"
BASED ON -- 417 -- RESPONDENTS THAT USE INTERNET TO LOOK UP INFORMATION ABOUT THE ELECTION; ±5 PCT. PTS.
|
More than once a day |
Every |
A few times |
Once a week or less |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
21 |
29 |
34 |
15 |
1 |
"Now, turning back to the period of time before the presidential election, did you use the Internet –"[ROTATED A-E]?
A. To follow the news about the presidential campaign?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
60 |
39 |
1 |
B. To find out information about the candidates' issue positions or backgrounds?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
52 |
47 |
1 |
C. To send e-mail to the presidential candidates supporting or criticizing their positions?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
10 |
89 |
1 |
D. To visit with other Internet users in chat rooms about the status of the presidential election?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
5 |
95 |
* |
E. To send in donations to particular candidates or campaigns?
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
4 |
95 |
1 |
SUMMARY TABLE OF INTERNET USE
|
November 2000 |
Yes |
|
% |
|
|
To follow the news about the presidential campaign |
60 |
|
To find out information about the candidates' issue positions or backgrounds |
52 |
|
To send e-mail to the presidential candidates supporting or criticizing their positions |
10 |
|
To visit with other Internet users in chat rooms about the status of the presidential election |
5 |
|
To send in donations to particular candidates or campaigns |
4 |
"Have you personally been to a presidential candidate's Web site on the Internet, or not?"
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
34 |
65 |
1 |
"Which candidate?" [Allowed multiple responses]
BASED ON -- 209 -- WHO VISITED A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'S WEB SITE; ±7 PCT. PTS.
|
November 2000 |
|
|
% |
|
|
Al Gore |
61 |
|
George W. Bush |
75 |
|
Ralph Nader |
22 |
|
Pat Buchanan |
3 |
|
Harry Browne |
6 |
|
John Hagelin |
1 |
|
Howard Phillips |
1 |
|
Other (Fill in response) |
8 |
|
Don't Know |
* |
"Which of these sources of news and information about the election controversy in Florida do you think – [ROTATED A-C] – television, the Internet, newspaper, or none of these?"
A. Is the more reliable and accurate?
|
|
|
|
None of these |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
20 |
22 |
18 |
22 |
18 |
B. Is the most up-to-date and immediate?
|
|
|
|
None of these |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
59 |
32 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
C. Is the easiest to use?
|
|
|
|
None of these |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
65 |
23 |
9 |
2 |
1 |
"When seeking to find out more information about the election controversy in Florida, which would you say you enjoy most – watching television, surfing the Internet, reading the newspaper, or none of these?"
|
Watching |
Surfing the |
Reading the |
None of these |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
54 |
24 |
11 |
8 |
3 |
"Did you personally happen to vote for President on Nov. 7, or did something come up that kept you from voting?"
|
Voted |
Did not vote |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
89 |
11 |
* |
"And for whom did you vote – George W. Bush, Al Gore, Ralph Nader, or another candidate?"
BASED ON -- 552 -- WHO VOTED ON NOVEMBER 7TH; ±5 PCT. PTS.
|
|
|
|
Another candidate |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
51 |
39 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
"Do you believe the time will come in the future when voting for the President of the United States via the Internet will be the dominant method of voting?"
|
Yes |
No |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
50 |
36 |
14 |
"And how long do you think it will be until Internet voting for President is the dominant method of voting – by the 2004 presidential election, by the 2008 presidential election, by the 2012 presidential election, or by the 2016 presidential election or longer?"
BASED ON -- 312 -- RESPONDENTS WHO SAID VOTING ON THE INTERNET WILL OCCUR IN THE FUTURE; ±6 PCT. PTS.
|
2004 |
2008 |
2012 |
2016 or longer |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
18 |
42 |
21 |
14 |
5 |
"Recently, voters in an Arizona election were allowed to cast their votes over the Internet. If Internet voting were made available in your state, would it make you – more likely to vote, less likely to vote, or have no effect on your likelihood of voting?"
|
More likely |
Less likely |
No effect |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
29 |
2 |
67 |
2 |
"If Internet voting were made available in your state, under normal circumstances would you choose to vote–over the Internet or in person at a designated polling place?"
|
Over the Internet |
In person |
No opinion |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
62 |
30 |
8 |
"Would you say that voting over the Internet would be – more subject to fraud than traditional methods of voting, less subject to fraud than traditional methods of voting, or no different than traditional methods of voting in terms of the possibility of fraud?"
|
More subject |
Less subject |
No |
No |
|
|
% |
% |
% |
% |
|
|
November 2000 |
44 |
14 |
30 |
12 |
|
*Less than 0.5% |