How convenient would it be if you could vote from the comfort of your own home, at work or if you were out of the country? According to tech experts if you can file your taxes online there’s no reason Canadians couldn’t cast their ballots the same way. … Both he and Jones still aren’t sure the traditional pencil and paper should be replaced with a more modern approach to voting. For Rayner, the single biggest obstacle has nothing to do with the security of the system if internet voting was made available. “The issue is that it’s fundamental to our democratic system that our ballots should be free, free from influence, free from pressure of any kind and that’s why we go to the polls so we that we can be observed making our vote individually without being pressured by anyone.” For Jones, the biggest con of internet voting would be if the system wasn’t secure and if an election could be swept because a technology compromise.
Additionally, Jones was concerned about the integrity and security surrounding an elector’s personal computer. “I would be more concerned about maybe somebody hijacks your computer and votes for you and then you didn’t even vote but there was actually a vote cast on your behalf.”
Voters can now register online but Elections Canada says it has no plans at this time to introduce internet voting.
“In looking at what other jurisdictions were doing there was still real concern around the security issues, the viability issues and ensure internet voting has the integrity that we expect of the Canadian system,” said Diane Benson, Media Relations for Elections Canada. “Until some of those security issues and integrity issues are really thoroughly addressed, it’s not something we would introduce or request that parliament allow us to try a pilot project on.”
Full Article: Elections Canada: “There are no real plans to introduce internet voting” – Saskatoon | Globalnews.ca.