Minister Of Justice Shirley Bond Speaks Out About Voting On Line
Thursday, August 16, 2012 @ 2:15 PM
For some time now, we’ve been hearing from many British
Columbians around the province, as well as from interested municipalities,
that they want to know more about Internet voting.
As a society, we’ve grown increasingly comfortable with the Internet as a
tool. In fact, 93 per cent of British Columbians now have access to high-
speed Internet, making us one of the most connected jurisdictions in the
world. Many of us have grown accustomed to the convenience the Internet
offers and we often rely on it for functions like online banking, shopping
and booking travel plans.
This shows the potential Internet voting has to increase accessibility and
convenience and reinvigorate democracy in British Columbia. However, when
it comes to something as integral to our democracy as our electoral
process, it is imperative that the appropriate precautions are taken.
That’s why I, as Attorney General, have requested that Elections BC
convene an independent panel to examine the potential for Internet voting
here in B.C. This is the first step in exploring whether or not Internet
voting is a feasible option for our province.
Specifically, Elections BC has been asked to look at best practices when
it comes to internet voting in other jurisdictions – both in Canada and
around the globe. The panel will look at Internet voting in both local and
provincial contexts, as certain factors may be unique to each level of
government.
Most importantly, the panel will be examining all potential security and
privacy concerns and how those may be addressed before we would even
consider implementation. B.C.’s chief electoral officer Keith Archer will
chair the panel, which will have members with expertise in technology,
cryptography, Internet security policy and electoral administration.
This panel will – and already has – sparked an engaging conversation about
modernizing our electoral process. While we remain optimistic Internet
voting could increase voter turnout in our province, we are exercising
tremendous caution with something as significant as our province’s
democracy.
I’ll look forward to receiving the independent panel’s report and
observing the interesting debate about Internet voting as it unfolds
Comments
From hanging chads to hanging pixels. All those grade 7 hackers will love this.
1. What is wrong with the present system in which a person hands a physical documen to another person, and that person places their ballot in a box, to be physically counted?
2. What makes you think voter turnoutis going to be affected? That is a ruse.
3. All polls indictae your government is going down in flames in the 2013 election. Why are you presenting internet voting at this point in time?
4. Why should the people trust what could be the most corrupt government in the history of BC?
5. Why should we not think electronic voting could be manipulated?
6 through 100. And then there are all the security questions.
We have a system that works, Shirley. Your Lieberal government’s interference is not needed.
You see one thing the Internet HAS done,Shirley Bond, is make information instantly available to anyone, anywhere. Its no longer a situation of whatever happens at the legislature is, for the most part, information that remains down south.
Used to be the politicians knew that when they fanned out and went back to their home ridings, they knew that much of what was going on in Victoria was really not known by many in “the boonies”.
Not so anymore. The people are much better informed and can’t have the wool pulled over their eyes.
Internet voting indeed.
For some its a great idea, wont have to turn off the tv or having that beer or 2 while making up their mine who to vote for, what the hell its an option.
Voter turnout (and results) would be more affected by changing the voting process, not the voting technique (but not crazy like the failed BC-STV).
How about a voting week where each seat is contested like a leadership race in that a number of bottom placers are dropped and the top finishers go on to the next round until they earn a majority – not plurality – of votes? Engagement and turnout would increase round after round.
In the end, every seat is won by the majority of voters in each riding based on the compromises and unique issues of that riding, not a centrally controlled campaign. And every MLA of every stripe can go confidently to Victoria knowing they’ve won a majority mandate, and also knowing their power comes from their majority, not their party.
Such paranoia and fear. How do we know the current system isn’t manipulated?
Continue on with your blind faith, Johnny. And let’s see what tune you’re singing when the NDP forms government.
Up grading our potholes could be voted on online or building a dyke and other expednsive stuff like buying air space or a hotel, things that the city has no buisness contemplating. This would make it easier than going door to door trying to get signatures to promote or reject where our tax dollars are going. As for voting for our politicians I think we should leaved it as it is. When a constituent becomes irate at a political official I am certain that he/she will go and vote.
“Continue on with your blind faith, Johnny. And let’s see what tune you’re singing when the NDP forms government.”
You didn’t answer my question, but no matter. How long do you think it will take the NDP to turn us into a have-not province again?
Johnny it is your Liberal buddies who have turned us into a have not province. Check the provincial debt incurred in the past ten years.
Check the millions that have gone into the pockets of their business buddies at the expense of British Columbians.
Check the untold number of jobs that have been lost by your Liberals allowing the land to be raped of its raw resources which have been shipped overseas.
These guys have done far more harm to the province than any NDP government ever has.
The NDP is going to inherit a have not province and will have the incredibly difficult job of trying to get us going in the right direction.
Thank your Liberals for the mess we’re in right now, before the NDP is ever elected.
Or maybe you think things are rosy.
Well said, One Democrat !
There is no possible way S. Bond and the team will get on line voting up and running before the next provincial election,she has said so herself, but I do hope it is in place prior to the next municipal election. Voter turnout at the last municipal election was pathetic.
I am all for a safe and secure on line voting system. It will certainly be challenging to sort through all the potential loop holes and come up with a fail proof electronic on line voting system. Even if a legal voting Citizen gets a private PIN what is there in place to stop another unqualified person from using that same number in place of the authorized voter…..guess if you get that far with the on line registration process you should do the right thing and vote using your own PIN….just my thoughts
I’m sure the hackers would love this challenge. It would be interesting to see the results. Remember Wikileaks? Credit card companies tried to stop people from donating money to their cause and hackers shutem down. Sara Palin opened up her big mouth and her credit card was hacked within the hour.
We know it’s corrupt already JohnnyB and the corruption starts at the lowest level of government. Ever been a part of a trade union and go to any of the conventions? It really quite laughable and scary at the same time. Don’t forget the robocall fiasco, did the Conservatives actually win all those sets fairly?
Florida?
I think it would be a cool option for voters who aren’t mobile, but in the federal NDP leader election they introduced online voting and the voter turnout didn’t increase. That’s not saying that would happen for every election, but it is noteworthy.
Perhaps we could be like Australia and have the day off to go vote…
Is Australia, where they also fine you for not voting, any better governed than elsewhere?
Not to hear the Australians tell it, it isn’t.
So long as whoever you vote for is able to tell you after the election that even though they promised to do this or that when running for office they now can’t once they’ve attained it, “…because we just haven’t got the money,” they are tacitly admitting that that your vote is functionally useless. And who HAS got the money, (or, more correctly, a monopoly on its creation), is the ultimate decider of what will or will not be done.
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