British locales to pilot internet / electronic voting schemes

While Americans (and the Dutch) are still trying to figure out exactly how to implement this "e-voting" thing without hackers exploiting them, people cracking them open (literally), and machines counting votes in triplicate, it looks like the Brits are disregarding all the red flags already waving and are giving it a go in select locations. New pilot schemes are slated to "help people vote more conveniently at the Local Government Elections in 13 local English authorities come May 2007," and while some areas simply get the option to vote in advance, Bedford, Breckland, Dover, South Bucks, Stratford-on-Avon District Council, and Warwick District Council will be graced with "electronic scanning technology to count ballot papers," while Rushmoor, Sheffield, Shrewsbury & Atcham, South Bucks, and Swindon will actually be able to "use the internet or telephone" to cast their vote if they so choose. The move is apparently tailored to fit the "more modern lifestyles" that most folks (mostly younger) are living, and officials hope that opening up the internet as a voting medium will convince chair-sitters to get off their butts surf on over and vote. Whether or not some trickster finds a loophole in the web-based voting system (or changes his / her voice up on a couple call-ins) to sabotage everything for everyone remains to be seen, but the Electoral Commission should be publishing the "findings" from these trials this August before choosing to keep (or axe) said methods.

[Via Slashdot]

[paddy @ Jan 31st 2007 2:45AM]

I hope someone hacks it and makes the conservatives win.

[LTM @ Jan 31st 2007 3:54AM]

In case you weren't around for the last 20 years, the Tory's did nothing when they were in power and Cameron is only putting a different spin on the same face. Without robbing from Peter to pay Paul, the labour party has done sod all with their term in power and the liberal dems will kow tow and buddy up with anyone who is in power. Noone in power truly gives a rats arse about anything other than themselves, will promise you the moon, tell you what you want to hear, and try to convince you how they'd do a much better job than the other guy and when they make it into power they predictably make a complete hash of governing while fatting up their own wallets by sucking up to the corporations and abandoning the constituents they are supposed to represent while they have a good old laugh on the TV with Prime Minister's question time at all our expense. The politicians just hope to hell we either are all too young or have too short of a memory to remember what a complete shambles they made when they were last in power. Labour, Tory, Liberal Dems; all distinctions without a difference. Please don't buy into anything that comes out of a politicians mouth because you'll see the same viscious cycle of useless self serving arrogant sods.

[so jaded @ Jan 31st 2007 9:15AM]

Looks like ZanuLabour's latest attempt to fix the elections, many of the districts mentioned have a record of voting irregularities; looks like they have got fed up with the hassle of filling in paper postal voting forms "on behalf of their constituents".

[Mike @ Feb 1st 2007 11:49AM]

British polotics aside I would love an online voting system. It wouldn't be flawless but I'd much rather take the time to verify my identity online and vote than drive to a polling place and deal with that. Polls always have the potential to be manipualted but although an e-voting system would mean it is more centralized and more easily manipulated it only passes by a dosen people (or the governemt equivlent) rather than relying on the people and macines at 1000s of local polling places. It would also save an assload of money. For people without internet such a system would turn any public computer into a polll booth and the existing system can be left intact. /rant