Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett wants his city to be a testing ground for new e-voting technology. Today he said he would lobby the Government to bring online voting to Porirua for the 2013 local body elections.
“New Zealand is long overdue for offering the option of voting online. The 2001 Local Electoral Act allows it to be used, which means Cabinet can make it happen through simple regulatory action. Officials, perhaps understandably, are exhibiting excessive caution — but our political leaders should embrace the democratic possibilities offered by this technology,” he said.
“We are an e-savvy bunch and early trials of online voting — at the Hutt Mana Energy Trust elections for example — showed us to be willing early adopters.”
Voter turnout among under 40-year-olds was “appallingly low” Mr Leggett said. There is no doubt in my mind that voters my age and younger will be far more likely to make themselves heard come election time if they can do so online instead of the ‘snail mail’ options available today.”
Mr Leggett said he would spend today contacting Cabinet Ministers to lobby them on the issue.
Source: Porirua to test e-voting – news – dominion-post | Stuff.co.nz.