Factors of Trust in Electoral Innovations: A Research Through the Prism of an Expert Survey

The article considers aspects of forming trust in technical innovations in the electoral process in Russia, the implementation of which is carried out in accordance with the state politics of managing electoral innovations. The purpose of the article is to identify and systematize factors that could contribute to the formation of trust in the implemented technical complexes and technological processes among participants in the electoral space in Russia based on the findings of the expert survey. The methodological basis of the study is the theory of diffusion of innovations, information networks and the dynamics of opinions. A review of the most significant technical electoral innovations in the modern Russian electoral process is implemented and their typology is proposed. The key factors influencing trust in electoral innovations are related to the turnout rate, the degree of understanding of the innovation and the availability of information about it, the state of digital literacy of process participants and the infrastructural provision of the electoral system. Trust is hindered by the presence of persistent destructive stereotypes. Current activities in the field of informing, explaining and educating participants in the electoral process do not fully meet the task of ensuring trust in technical innovations. The expediency of transforming communication approaches is substantiated, in particular, the revival of expert councils under election administration bodies and changing the approach to forming a pool of experts. A number of recommendatory proposals are put forward that could contribute to solving the practical problem of increasing trust in electoral innovations in Russia. Further research into the diffusion of innovations can focus on the problem of diffusion of stereotypes that spread in parallel with the innovation, as well as on the implementation of factor analysis to clarify the aspects on which trust in electoral innovations depends.

state electoral politics, innovation management, diffusion of innovations, trust in innovations, trust in elections, electronic voting, remote electronic voting, information security, stereotypes, electoral sovereignty