More than 1.5 million UK citizens will be able to vote electronically in this May's local government elections, after plans submitted by 18
local authorities were approved this month. According to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the proposals include voting by mobile phone text messaging, the internet and digital
TV in Malvern Hills, Sheffield, Shrewsbury and Stratford-on-Avon. Basingstoke, Chester, Chorley, Rushmoor, South Tyneside and Vale
Royal will pilot internet voting. Epping Forest, Ipswich, Norwich, St Albans, Swindon, Stroud, Kerrier and parts of Somerset will combine
all forms of e-voting.
The announcement reveals increased levels of interest in e-voting among councils compared with last year's local elections, when only five local authorities piloted new voting technologies. However, it is unlikely that any e-voting trials will take place in May 2004, when a poll for the European Parliament will take place alongside local elections. Present UK law only allows e-voting in local elections.
Quelle: Headstar
