E-voting trials for May local elections

A further 12 trials of electronic voting technology systems will take place during local authority elections in May, lord chancellor Lord Falconer told Parliament today.

And at the same time electronic counting systems will be used North of the border for the Scottish Parliament.

The local council trials will include internet voting, telephone voting and centralised polling stations with facilities for the electorate to vote outside their local polling districts.

Many of the trials are being driven by the need to increase participation in the electoral process by making it more attractive to modern voters. It is also hoped the technology will speed up the counting process and make it more efficient.

Parallel plans to help local authorities crack down on electoral fraud by cross-matching data across electoral boundaries are part of the Department for Constitutional Affairs proposed Co-ordinated Online Record of Electors (CORE).

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