The prediction, in brief:

As the information infrastructure changes, so do the possibilities for creating nominating systems that will attract and select the best candidates. Theoretically elegant but heretofore impractical voting systems could come into widespread use. Instead of starting with an initial pool of five to 10 candidates preselected by political parties or mass-media pundits, it might be practical with computer voting to start with hundreds or thousands of candidates and have the public do the selecting. With the advent of relatively inexpensive and convenient home voting, we could also have three or four nominating rounds instead of the two customary today. And the new media rather than the parties could be given control of the basic nominating-system protocols.

Predictor: Snider, James

Prediction, in context:

The 1995 book “The Information Revolution,” edited by Donald Altschiller, carries a reprint of the 1994, The Futurist article “Democracy On-line” by James H. Snider. Snider speculates on the electronic town meeting, a possibility in the near future. He writes:”As the information infrastructure changes, so do the possibilities for creating nominating systems that will attract and select the best candidates. Theoretically elegant but heretofore impractical voting systems could come into widespread use. Instead of starting with an initial pool of five to 10 candidates preselected by political parties or mass-media pundits, it might be practical with computer voting to start with hundreds or thousands of candidates and have the public do the selecting. With the advent of relatively inexpensive and convenient home voting, we could also have three or four nominating rounds instead of the two customary today. And the new media rather than the parties could be given control of the basic nominating-system protocols.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1994

Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics

Subtopic: Campaigns/Voting

Name of publication: The Information Revolution (book)

Title, headline, chapter name: Democracy On-line

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Pages 192, 193

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne