The government of Australia, currently in the throes a general election, is toying with the idea of automated polling for the next election, an Australian Electoral Commission official has told FutureGov. Meanwhile Indonesia has revealed plans to introduce electronic voting in time for the country’s next presidential election in 2014.
While electronic voting is not possible under the current legislation in Australia, other forms of automation are under discussion, said Michael Cuddihy, Director, Project Management Office, Strategic Capability Branch, AEC.
More than 70 per cent of the AEC’s budget goes on maintaining the voter register, and automation could significantly reduce this cost, Cuddihy noted.