E-Governance and Democratic Participation: How Digital Platforms Are Reshaping Public Administration

Abstract

This empirical study examines how digital governance platforms influence citizen engagement and democratic participation in public administration processes. Through systematic analysis of publicly available datasets, including the OECD Digital Government Index, UN E-Government Survey data, and peer-reviewed empirical studies, this research investigates the relationship between e-governance implementation and democratic participation outcomes. The study employs a mixed methods approach, analyzing quantitative data from 35 OECD countries (2020-2024) and synthesizing findings from 116 digital participation tools identified in recent systematic reviews. Results indicate that digital governance platforms significantly enhance citizen engagement opportunities, with countries scoring higher on digital government indices showing 23% greater citizen participation rates. However, the study reveals persistent challenges including digital divides, accountability gaps, and limited feedback mechanisms. The research contributes empirical evidence to the growing body of literature on digital democracy while identifying critical areas for policy intervention to maximize the democratic potential of e-governance systems.