A Study on Impact of Socio-Economic Inequalities and Digital Literacy Gaps as Barriers to E -Voting Adoption in Sri Lanka

Electronic voting (e-voting) is widely considered around the world as a modern tool that can enhance electoral transparency, improve the speed of vote counting, and increase citizen participation. However, in Sri Lanka the adoption of e-voting has progressed slowly, creating concerns about how social and technological inequalities may influence its implementation. This study explores the ways in which socio-economic disparities and limited digital literacy act as barriers to the effective introduction of e-voting systems in the country. The research specifically examines how factors such as income level, educational background, and regional differences influence citizens’ preparedness to use electronic voting platforms. It also evaluates how people’s trust in digital systems and their level of technological skills affect their willingness to participate in such electoral processes, while suggesting practical measures to encourage broader accessibility. The research follows a mixed method approach. Data were gathered from 100 community members representing different age groups through a structured questionnaire, while additional insights were obtained through interviews conducted with key stakeholders. The findings indicate that individuals from lower income households, rural communities, and regions with limited technological infrastructure encounter major difficulties in accessing digital devices and stable internet services. These limitations reduce their capacity to adopt and confidently use e-voting systems. Furthermore, many respondents raised concerns about the security and reliability of electronic voting, whereas community representatives highlighted the absence of proper training programmes and awareness initiatives as significant challenges. The study concludes that the potential benefits of e-voting cannot be fully achieved in Sri Lanka unless the existing social and digital knowledge gaps are addressed. It recommends expanding affordable and high speed internet connectivity to underdeveloped areas, introducing community level digital literacy programmes with particular attention to elderly and less educated voters, and designing user friendly interfaces in Sinhala and Tamil languages. In addition, continuous public awareness campaigns are necessary to strengthen trust in secure and transparent electronic voting processes. Implementing pilot projects and clearly demonstrating strong safeguards for ballot secrecy and data protection may further improve public confidence and participation, while also helping to reduce government spending on traditional election systems. Ultimately, bridging these technological and social divides is essential for strengthening democratic participation and ensuring equal access to future technology based electoral systems in Sri Lanka.