An Update on Online Voting (Part Four)

August 15th, 2013 by Katie Reidel

Here’s the latest news on jurisdictions across Canada that are discussing internet voting for future elections:

NO to Online Voting

Newfoundland and Labrador

Residents of Newfoundland and Labrador will be heading to the polls this fall for a municipal election, but they won’t be voting online. Minister of Municipal Affairs Kevin O’Brien thinks it is better to have 30 per cent of the community turn out who have a true interest in their city than large numbers of uninformed voters who vote online just because they can.

East Gwillimbury, Ontario

Councillors in East Gwillimbury voted against implementing online voting for the 2014 municipal election. Some councillors who voted against the proposal were disappointed that it only planned for online voting in advanced polls, not on election day. A paperless election may still be in East Gwillimbury’s future.

Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario

Online voting is not recommended by Stouffville council, who are instead opting to go with optical scan tabulators. These machines can identify if a voter has over- or under-voted, and give them the opportunity to amend their ballot. These machines were used in 2010 and their familiarity to the public is one of the key points in keeping them for 2014.

YES to Online Voting

Kingsville, Ontario

The town of Kingsville is considering using online voting for the next municipal election in 2014. CBC reports that Mayor Nelson Santos and council are considering moving to online voting or voting by telephone. “By looking at internet voting [and] voting by telephone from home, we’re looking to see if there are any concerns or hurdles that our residents would have, or any reservations about going to that type of process,” Santos said.

Springwater, Ontario

According to Bayshore Broadcasting, voters in Springwater will be able to vote either in person, by telephone or on the Internet in the municipal election in October of 2014. This article also points out that online voting extends to tablets, smartphones, and even gaming devices such as the Xbox and Wii!

Central Huron, Ontario

Huron News Now reports that Central Huron residents will have the option of voting by internet or telephone in the 2014 municipal election, following a decision by council in July. The municipalities deputy reeve Dave Jewitt lamented that this might be the downfall of the traditional style polling station, but that the town won’t know online voting’s possibilities or successes unless they try it. Central Huron is trying to boost a dismal turnout in the last election of 37.78 per cent.

Guelph, Ontario

The community that was hardest hit by the robo-calls of 2011 has committed to online voting for the 2014 municipal election. Guelph council passed an initiative that will allow for online voting during advance polling in 2014, the success of which will determine if it becomes full-scale in 2018.

West Perth, Ontario

Voters in West Perth will only be able to vote online or by phone in the 2014 municipal election, as the paper ballot disappears from the municipality completely. Clerk Florence Stalenhoef believes that if the municipality doesn’t voluntarily take this project on in 2014, they will be forced to do so in 2018.

Leamington, Ontario

Leamington is considering online voting for the 2014 municipal election. As other municipalities have already tested this process before Leamington, Clerk Brian Sweet believes that many of the problems with the process have been worked out, according to Blackburn News. The process is expected to be cheaper than paper ballots, and online stations will be set-up for the public to use.

Is online voting being considered where you live? Let us know!

Check out the earlier articles in this series:

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