Stuffing a ballot box may not be the only way to vote in municipal elections in the coming years.
A group in Edmonton is recommending online voting in the future, a move that Lethbridge officials are watching closely.
“We won’t be looking at it for 2013,” said Aleta Neufeld, Lethbridge’s returning officer. “We will be looking at that opportunity for subsequent elections.”
A citizen jury was presented the positives and negatives of internet polling, and all but one of the 18 people were in favour of it.
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Recommendations include a simple and quick process, as well as making the vote accessible through smartphones and tablets.
Lethbridge officials have been involved in the pilot project along the way, and say so far, so good.
“It’s good to see how secure it is and how easy it is for the voter to use the system,” said Neufeld.
Turnout for the 2010 municipal election in Lethbridge was only 35%.
Nicole Goodman, a McMaster University professor who presented to the Edmonton group, is working on an internet voting report for Elections Canada, analyzing turnout in communities already utilizing the online system.
“For people who say they’re too busy to vote, can’t get out because of mobility reasons or are away on vacation, it does help,” said Goodman. “In quite a few cases, turnout has increased.”
Internet voting isn’t expected to be widespread by next fall, but election officials say it could be in use by 2017.
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