Browsing by Author "Carmichael, Logan"

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Domestic Decision-Making, Regional Linkages, and Cybersecurity Considerations: Implementation of Internet Voting in Russia, September 2021
(2022) Carmichael, Logan; Romanov, Bogdan
The research objective of the article is to explain why and how the Russian Federation implemented online voting in the case of the September 2021 national State Council elections. This case constitutes the first instance of large-scale, non-democratic, and legally binding elections with the use of i-voting. Hence, the paper provides answers to (1) why i-voting was introduced in the already state-controlled electoral context, (2) how Estonia, as a cradle of i-voting, affected the decision-making in Russia, and (3) how cybersecurity concerns were addressed by technology providers and engage in a discussion about cybersecurity not for users, but for officials. Our research design focuses on the instance of Russian online voting without going into further details of regional and capital city distinction and relies on the interview data. Results show that (1) the primary motivation underpinning the introduction of i-voting in Russia was regime stability, (2) Estonian successes in e-governance and i-voting did not impact decision-making in Russia, and (3) cybersecurity concerns around the i-voting technologies used in Russia were indeed present but were not central to decision-making. Findings have broader implications, the research fills in a gap in the literature surrounding the emergence of i-voting, as well as the relationship these processes have with existing, longer-term implementations in democratic states. At the same time, from the empirical viewpoint, the work sheds light on how topics in non-democracies can be studied.
Exploring Estonian e-government before, during, and beyond COVID-19
(New Zealand Journal for Research on Europe (NZJRE), 2021) Carmichael, Logan
The outbreak of COVID-19 saw lockdowns imposed across the world, and traditionally in-person tasks and services shifted online. While this posed immense challenges in some governmental and institutional settings, in Estonia rigorous digital advancements dating back to the 1990s have made this learning curve markedly less steep, as many digital service provisions were widely available prior to the pandemic. This paper explores Estonia’s e-government solutions pre-dating, during, and beyond the pandemic. It will examine mechanisms – e-ID, X-Road, the information authority, state portal, and e-learning – that existed prior to the pandemic, and others – new e-services, fully online learning, and contact tracing applications – that have emerged in direct response to the pandemic. Finally, this paper will examine how elements of Estonian e-government can, and have been, adopted in international settings, considering how cybersecurity, regulation, and accessibility are closely intertwined with such dialogues surrounding e-government.
Open Government Policy Making by Popular Voting: Comparing Canada and New Zealand
(Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs, 2024-05-10) Khutkyy, Dmytro; Carmichael, Logan
The connection between open government policy and popular voting is understudied, yet it can reveal interesting patterns of policymaking that blend agenda setting, policy formulation, and decision-making in semiformalized fluid forms. This inquiry investigates the link between policy voting and open government by comparing the case studies of cocreating open government partnership national action plans in Canada and New Zealand. It examines the role of voting within the policy cycle of open government as a system of governance comprised of transparency, participation, accountability, and civic education. It further employs an exploratory mixed-methods approach of analyzing applied reports, official documents, social media campaigns, and expert interviews. It was found that not the voting format but the government’s approach to interaction with stakeholders is associated with the diverging patterns of open government in the two countries.