Creating a digital commonwealth: The Internet emergers as a communication technology in politics and government in Pennsylvania

Political candidates, governments, and citizens across the nation are faced with the challenge of how to conduct affairs in an age that sees society transforming from the established industrial model, to a new and more dynamic Information Technology model. The nature of political activity at all levels has been altered by the introduction of digital communication technologies, especially the use of the Internet to wage campaigns and conduct the business of government in cyberspace. Citizen access and use of these technologies has also attracted the attention of researchers, politicians, and government entities. Political campaigns now appear online. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has invested billions of dollars since 1995 to create an environment that encourages government at all levels to enter the digital age. Citizen access and use of these technologies continues to increase. This research focuses on the development of digital politics, e-Government, and how citizens of the Commonwealth access and use them.