E-democracy: The electronic precinct

While I was growing up, I got good training in political communication. My grandfather, D.G. Fairley, was a politician in the back country of north Missouri. He lived and campaigned in a county that was so remote, the Mennonites only discovered it a decade ago. When he went to town, it took him two hours to walk from one end of the street to the other. He felt obliged to speak with everyone he saw.

I wondered, in the early days of the Internet, whether the clean, uncluttered system of online communication could bring back the spirit of my grandfather's politicking. The answer, of course, is not so hard to predict: It all depends on the politician.

Here are some stories that explored this issue:

"Congress Not Yet Plugging In To E-Mail"

The New York Times on the Web, June 15, 1996

"Whatever the Future Holds, Congress Will Get There Slowly"

The New York Times on the Web, June 15, 1996

"E-Mail Unleashes Capitol Hill Technophobia"

The New York Times on the Web, June 15, 1996

"Flood of E-Mail Credited With Halting U.S. Bank Plan"

The New York Times on the Web, March 24, 1999

"Flash Campaigns: Online Activism at Warp Speed"

The New York Times on the Web, June 3, 1999

"A Utopian With a Twinkle and an Idea: Online Democracy"

The New York Times, Feb. 24, 2000

"Arkansas Congressman Takes a Free-Speech Risk"

The New York Times on the Web, Feb. 10, 1998

"Santa Monica Seeking a Return to Online Civic Forum of Yore"

The New York Times, Sept. 8, 1998

"Libertarians Find Like Minds, and Donations, Online"

The New York Times on the Web, March 11, 1999

"Lobbyist Turns to Internet to Influence Policy Makers"

The New York Times, Nov. 15, 1999

"Internet May Reshape California Ballot Initiatives"

The New York Times on the Web, Feb. 5, 1999

"Net Sped the Case Against California Commissioner"

The New York Times on the Web, June 29, 2000

"Beyond Campaign Sites: Politicians Seek Support for Legislation Online"

The New York Times on the Web, April 18, 1999

"Many Sites Are Trolling For Voters"

The New York Times, Aug. 31, 2000

"Minnesota's New Chief Pushes Net as Political Tool"

The New York Times on the Web, Jan. 29, 1999

"E-Mail Helps Longshot Candidate Send a Message to Congress"

The New York Times on the Web, July 14, 1998

"More Members Are Plugged In, But Few Are Making Connections"

The New York Times on the Web, Jan. 15, 1998

"Spam Gets the Message Out"

The New York Times on the Web, Jan. 15, 1998

"Technology Filters the Flow"

The New York Times on the Web, Jan. 15, 1998

"E-Mail Finds the Rare Ear in Congress"

The New York Times, Dec. 13, 2001

(links to archive)