Democrats in the home state of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain have the green light to allow online voting in their March primary - making the nation's first binding e-lection using the Internet.
The Justice Department sent a letter to Arizona Democratic officials Feb. 24, saying Attorney General Janet Reno didn't object to the March 11 primary going online as well as traditional ballot box.
But the Associated Press says one concern was whether affluent whites would participate more than minorities because of greater Internet access.
"This pretty much says we can go ahead with our election," state Party Chairman Mark Fleisher tells the AP. "It also says they're going to keep looking over our shoulder, but that's to be expected."
Indeed, the Arizona Democrats still face a lawsuit saying an e-lection would discriminate against minorities and the poor. A panel of judges will hear the case this week. But the party plans 125 polling places offering Democrats a choice between traditional ballots or computer terminals to vote online.
Voters can also cast early votes by logging onto the party Web site from March 7-10.
