The people of Digby may be able to vote electronically in municipal elections this fall.
Digby Mayor Ben Cleveland says he believes electronic voting will increase voter turnout. Or voter log in if you'd rather.
"The numbers I've looked at show that 70% of all votes casts are done electronically when people have that choice," says Cleveland. "Our ageing population is more and more tech savy and this just makes it so easy to vote."
When Stewiacke offered e-voting for the 2008 elections, voter participation doubled from 35 per cent in 2004 to 71 per cent. Berwick's turnout went from an average of 15 to 30 per cent to 55 per cent.
For the 2008 elections, the Halifax Regional Municipality sent voters a PIN in the mail, which they could use with their date of birth to log in to the online advance voting. Voters could choose to cast paper ballots on election day.
Yarmouth town council is considering offering only phone and internet voting this year; their mayor Phil Mooney predicts the town will save $5,000 off their $25,000 election budget.
Digby's mayor thinks it might save Digby money too but it is too early to say just how much.
The 2008 elections cost Digby $9,000 of the $12,000 budgeted.
The town's chief administrative officer Tom Ossinger has been investigating different systems for possible use in the October elections.
The idea actually came up before the 2008 elections and resurfaced again last fall after Mayor Ben Cleveland, Deputy Mayor Mike Bartlett and Councillor Danny Harvieux came back from the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities conference in Halifax. Intellivote, an electronic voting company, had a booth at the conference.
The CAO has participated in a webinar and a follow-up workshop on a system from Scytl, the company that won the HRM contract. The capital is paying approximately $400,000 to have Sctyl run its advance polls electronically; a similar arrangement would cost Digby $4,000.
Cleveland says e-voting would make it easier for people working away, for people on vacation, and for students to vote in their hometown while studying elsewhere. He says in the case of bad weather, it could be especially helpful.
"Electronic voting is something I'd love to be able to do," says the mayor. "I enjoy going to the polls and the whole atmosphere there. But there have been times in the past, where I've had other engagements, on one occasion a funeral to go to, so if I had a week to vote electronically, it might have made things easier."
Digby's CAO, the mayor and some of the councilors will be attending another workshop on Friday, Feb. 10 to learn more about Intellivote.
"There is a small window before council needs to make a decision," says Ossinger. "Probably within the next month. Time is creeping on."
Municipal and school board elections will be held across the province on Oct. 20.
jriley@digbycourier.ca
