PosterVote

TLDR

Digital technologies extend the action repertoires of localized social movements. The study examines how digital technologies can support on‑ground activist communities in building social movements. The authors designed and deployed the low‑cost community voting prototype PosterVote in two case studies, using interviews to identify features that support or hinder grassroots democratic practices.

Abstract

Online and digital technologies support and extend the action repertoires of localized social movements. In this paper we examine the ways by which digital technologies can support "on-the-ground" activist communities in the development of social movements. After identifying some of the challenges of deploying conventional voting and consultation technologies for activism, we examine situated political action in local communities through the design and deployment of a low-cost community voting prototype, PosterVote. We deploy PosterVote in two case studies with two local community organizations identifying the features that supported or hindered grassroots democratic practices. Through interviews with these communities, we explore the design of situated voting systems to support participation within an ecology of social action.