Designing Digital Voting Systems for Citizens: Achieving Fairness and Legitimacy in Participatory Budgeting

Why It Matters

Participatory budgeting depends on both the allocation rule and people’s trust in the process. The paper links interface and voting-method choices to perceived democratic legitimacy.

Abstract

Participatory Budgeting (PB) has evolved into a key democratic instrument for resource allocation in cities. This study identifies how digital design choices influence citizens' perceptions of fairness and legitimacy in PB voting systems.

Paper Content

Core Contribution

This paper studies how digital voting-system design shapes citizens’ perceptions of fairness and legitimacy in participatory budgeting. It connects voting methods, interface choices, and democratic acceptance.

Research Use

The paper is relevant for civic technology teams designing participatory budgeting platforms, researchers comparing democratic voting methods, and practitioners who need legitimacy as well as technically fair allocation outcomes.