ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY MINITRACK
The Internet and other information technologies promise to invigorate democratic processes by facilitating public discourse among citizens and between government and all stakeholders. However, these technologies can also foster anti-democratic outcomes such as limited access, reduced privacy, increased control, and reduced interaction. Moreover, it is unclear whether or how electronic democracy might invigorate democracy more broadly. Electronic voting, access equity, online interaction for public policy decision making, information reliability, political coordination among multiple stakeholders, and public monitoring of and communication with elected officials are a few of many the areas of research. This minitrack seeks research that investigates whether and how information technologies contribute to democratic processes and outcomes. It also invites papers that investigate the conditions under which technologies best encourage democratic processes and outcomes. Research from a variety of perspectives; citizen, government, stakeholder; and comparative analyses are welcome.

Topics and Research Areas include (but are not limited to)

     • Models and methods of IT-enabled public discourse
     • Use of IT to enhance public participation in the rule-making process
     • Communications tools for elected officials
     • IT and civic engagement
     • Electronic voter registration and voting
     • Use of IT and communications technologies in election campaigns
     • Public opinion polling
     • IT-enabled advocacy and activism
     • Democratic implications of the digital divide
 

MINITRACK CO-CHAIRS
Eric Welch: ewwelch@uic.edu
Sharon S. Dawes:  sdawes@ctg.albany.edu
Michael Gisler: michael.gisler@bit.admin.ch

IMPORTANT DEADLINES
March 31, 2003         Abstracts submitted for guidance and indication of appropriate content.
June 1, 2003              Full papers submitted to Minitrack Chairs.
                                  Contact minitrack chairs for submission instructions.
August 31, 2003         Notice of accepted papers sent to Authors.
October 1, 2003        Accepted manuscripts sent electronically to the publisher.
                                  Authors must be registered for the conference by this date.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAPER SUBMISSION
1. Manuscripts should be 22-26 double-spaced pages, including diagrams, in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format. The final paper will be 10 pages, double-column, single-spaced.

2. Each paper must have a title page that includes the title of the paper, full name of all authors, and complete addresses
including affiliation(s), telephone number(s), and e-mail address(es).

3. The first page of the manuscript should include the title and a 300-word abstract of the paper.

4. Papers should contain original material and not be previously published, or currently submitted for consideration elsewhere.

5. Do not submit the same manuscript to more than one Minitrack.

6. Papers should be submitted by email, to Eric Welch <ewwelch@uic.edu> by the deadline noted above.

TRACKS AT HICSS-37
* Collaboration Systems; Co-Chair: Jay Nunamaker; E-mail: nunamaker@cmi.arizona.edu
    Co-Chair: Robert O. Briggs; E-mail: bob@GroupSystems.com
* Complex Systems; Chair: Robert Thomas; E-mail: rjt1@cornell.edu
* Decision Tech. for Management; Chair: Dan Dolk; E-mail: drdolk@nps.navy.mil
* Digital Documents; Chair: Michael Shepherd; E-mail: shepherd@cs.cal.ca
* Emerging Technologies; Chair: Ralph H. Sprague; E-mail: sprague@hawaii.edu
* Information Technology in Health Care; Chair: William Chismar
     E-mail: chismar@cba.hawaii.edu
* Internet & the Digital Economy; Co-Chair: David King; E-mail: dave@comshare.com
     Co-Chair: Alan Dennis; E-mail: ardennis@indiana.edu
* Organizational Systems & Tech.; Chair: Hugh Watson; Email: hwatson@terry.uga.edu
* Software Technology; Gul Agha; E-mail: agha@cs.uiuc.edu

HICSS conferences are devoted to advances in the information, computer, and system sciences, and encompass developments in both theory and practice.   Invited papers may be theoretical, conceptual, tutorial or descriptive in nature.  Submissions undergo a peer referee process and those selected for presentation will be published in the Conference Proceedings.  Submissions must not have been previously published.

CONFERENCE ADMINISTRATION:
Ralph Sprague, Conference Chair: sprague@hawaii.edu
Sandra Laney, Conference Administrator: hicss@hawaii.edu
Eileen Dennis, Track Administrator: eidennis@indiana.edu

For the latest information; visit the HICSS web site at: http://www.hicss.hawaii.edu

2004 CONFERENCE VENUE:
Hilton Waikoloa Village (on the Big Island of Hawaii)
425 Waikoloa Beach Drive
Waikoloa, Hawaii 96738
Tel: 1-808-886-1234
Fax: 1-808-886-2900
http://www.hilton.com/hotels/KOAHWHH/index.html?show=all

NOTE:  December 1 is the deadline to guarantee hotel room reservation at conference rate.