Voluntary organisations as e-democratic actors: political identity, legitimacy and accountability and the need for new research

Voluntary sector organisations (VSOs) are actors of growing significance within the 'information polity'. One testament to their significance is the UK government's recent proposal for the development of an electronic mixed economy that will see VSOs act as 'intermediaries' in the delivery of e-government services, including e-democratic services. As VSOs independently harness information and communication technologies (ICTs) in ways that are enabling them to strengthen their 'voices' within both the national and international political system, so interrelated questions about their political identity, democratic legitimacy and accountability become profoundly important within the intermediaries context.