Canadians can see the benefits of Internet voting in their municipal elections. There were 12 municipalities who used it in the 2003 elections. The number grew to 97 in 2014. It is expected to be 200 municipalities in 2018. The Hanover council, in Ontario, Canada, has given the green light for telephone and Internet voting in the 2018 municipal election.

The past three municipal elections used the vote-by-mail system. They did not have significant problems with it, but a study and report sees benefits of Internet and telephone voting. A few extracts from the report:

 Provides great convenience, accessibility, flexibility and opportunity for participation
 Allows for a longer voter period and 24-hour per day voting up until 8 p.m. on election day
Removes the need for advance polls and proxy voting
Voters can use their personal telephones, tablets or desktop computers with accessibility features including high volume, headphones and talk-to-you (TTY) features
The count is 100 per cent accurate with no risk of spoiled ballots or unclear voter intent
The system uses clear and plain language with prompts
Full-time staff resources dedicated to election functions will be reduced

I am hopeful American election officials will begin to see the potential benefits of Internet voting. The Canadians recognize the need for training, security, and other preparation. However, they also see the benefits.

See the full story at Hanover steps towards internet/telephone voting in 2018. Read about the American registration and voting system and how Internet voting can strengthen our democracy in Election Attitude.