In search of citizens mobilized online during the 2020 municipal elections

This article examines the effects of the Covid 19 crisis on voters’ online mobilization during the 2020 municipal elections in France. It draws on data from the PELMEL survey (Participation électorale dans la métropole lilloise, Electoral participation in the Lille metropolitan area) conducted after the second round of the 2020 municipal elections and shows that online political participation remained minimal during the electoral campaign, despite the health crisis. Moreover, the patterns of online political participation barely differed from those of more traditional offline participation, indicating that citizens’ level of interest in politics remains the main determinant of online activism. Higher levels of online mobilization of young citizens were however observed, especially on social media, and contrary to the findings of other studies, there was a relatively high participation rate of respondents with low levels of education. Finally, even when different online political practices do emerge, we observe that the modes of engagement vary depending on the platforms.