Appetite for e-ballot doubles to 43 per cent on last election

But voters are still looking for communication from MPs via traditional means

E-voting could drive up general election turnout

More than two fifths of British internet users say e-voting would make them more likely to vote in the general election, double that of 2005, according to research from Virgin Media.

The study, which polled more than 2,000 people, found that the number of voters backing a digitised ballot card system had risen from 19 per cent to 43 per cent since the last election in 2006.

However, text voting was less popular, with just 26 per cent of people questioned saying it would make them more likely to vote. Some 15 per cent said texting would actually make them less likely to vote.

The survey also found that voters are looking for more communication with their MPs; 47 per cent of those polled said email was the best means of contact, this was up from seven per cent in 2005.

Despite the rise of communication technologies such as Twitter and Facebook, three and 11 per cent of respondents respectively, said they would like to be contacted by these means, with traditional channels still more popular than digital ones.

More than two in five (42 per cent) of those questioned wanted to be contacted by post or through local media, both up on 2005.

Only 21 per cent said that MPs should be more active on the internet, down from 45 per cent in 2005.

“The study shows that voters are crying out for more direct, personal communication from their MPs at a time when numbers at the polling booths continue to fall,” said Lee Hull, director of public sector at Virgin Media Business.

“MPs need to combine traditional campaigning methods with web presence, mobile applications and social media in order to effectively communicate with people. This multi-channel approach is going to be the most successful way of getting their message out.”