The Canadian Press: B.C. Greens call for electronic voting, new referendum on electoral reform

The Canadian Press: B.C. Greens call for electronic voting, new referendum on electoral reform:

VANCOUVER, B.C. — The B.C. Green party says the province should try electronic voting to help boost voter turnout and take another crack at proportional representation in the legislature.

They are two of the suggestions the Greens are making to modernize the province's voting system after last year's provincial election in which only 51 per cent of eligible voters bothered to cast their ballots.

...

In addition, the Greens want to reopen the debate on changing B.C.'s voting system with a two-stage referendum process.

The first referendum would ask if people want some form of proportional representation in the legislature, and if that passes, more hearings would be held leading to a second vote on what kind of system to adopt.

United Nations selects Smartmatic for Voter Registration in Africa

United Nations selects Smartmatic for Voter Registration in Africa:

AMSTERDAM, Holland - (Business Wire) The United Nations, through its Development Programme (UNDP), has selected Smartmatic to provide new technologies for the improvement of the electoral register of the Republic of Zambia. Smartmatic, a leading provider of technological solutions for governments, was selected after the UN conducted a rigorous testing of numerous identity and registry technologies.

For the first stage of the project, Smartmatic will supply the Republic of Zambia with 1,000 mobile electronic biometric registry units, known as PARkits. This includes all hardware and software components, with their respective protective cases, training services, technical assistance and a one-year warranty.

Read more: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/united-nations-selects-smartmatic-for-voter-registration-in-africa,1193611.shtml#ixzz0haqnuOx3

The right to vote, from the comfort of your own home | Comment | Edmonton Sun

The right to vote, from the comfort of your own home | Columnists | Comment | Edmonton Sun:

... It’s incredible that, in this day and age, someone hasn’t figured out a way to make online voting a viable alternative.

Polls suggest Canadians would embrace the concept, and it may even help boost voter turnout.

Yet, online voting remains in its infancy stage, and it likely will for years to come. ...

Victoria expands Linux e-voting rollout - News - Software - ZDNet Australia

Victoria expands Linux e-voting rollout - News - Software - ZDNet Australia:

Victoria's Electoral Commission has flagged plans to expand its use of electronic voting kiosks based on Linux software in the next state election in November this year.

The state first started using the machines in a limited trial during the last state election in 2006. It appears as if the machines were used for voting for the vision-impaired, as well as for military personnel.

However, in tender documents released last week, the state revealed it would expand its use of the machines. About one hundred kiosks will be deployed to early voting centres (including mobile facilities) around the state as well as in the United Kingdom. ...

Turnout could see 'Net gain: councillor | London | News | London Free Press

Turnout could see 'Net gain: councillor | London | News | London Free Press:

Coun. Nancy Branscombe wants to bring online voting to London's municipal elections.

At city council Monday, Branscombe will propose that the next time Londoners vote, they do it at a computer screen.

'It is an idea whose time has come,' Branscombe said. 'The Internet is integrated in all our lives, from banking to shopping, and I think this is a way to get more people involved.

'The Internet is a big part of so many people's lives, it is so easy to use now.'

Internet voting could increase voter participation, which topped 40% in London's last municipal election and was about 36% the election before, said Branscombe -- numbers that should be higher.

...

Toronto Star, Geist: Hackers, viruses threaten online voting validity - thestar.com

Geist: Hackers, viruses threaten online voting validity - thestar.com:

... "Democracy depends upon a fair, accurate and transparent electoral process with outcomes that can be independently verified. Conventional voting accomplishes many of these goals – private polling stations enable citizens to cast their votes anonymously, election-day scrutineers offer independent oversight and paper-based ballots provide a verifiable outcome that can be re-counted if necessary.

While technology may someday allow us to replicate these essential features online, many of them are currently absent from Internet voting, which is subject to any number of possible disruptions. These include denial-of-service attacks that shut down the election process, counterfeit websites, phishing attacks, hacks into the election system or the insertion of computer viruses that tamper with election results." ...

U.S. to Clear Merger of Voting-Machine Makers - WSJ.com

U.S. to Clear Merger of Voting-Machine Makers - WSJ.com:

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department is poised to allow the merger of the U.S.'s two largest makers of voting machines, but the combined company will be required to divest a key electronic voting system, said people familiar with the matter.

In September, closely held Election Systems & Software Inc. agreed to buy No. 2 voting-machine manufacturer Premier Election Solutions Inc., a money-losing unit of Diebold Inc.

The deal, which was valued at $5 million, was too small to trigger a mandatory federal antitrust review. But it generated a wave of opposition from election officials and others worried the deal would deprive voting precincts of choice and leave the country's election system more vulnerable to failures.

Following months of negotiations, the Justice Department and ES&S are near agreement on a settlement that would involve the company selling Premier's newest voting system—called Assure 1.2—to a competitor, most likely Hart InterCivic Inc., said people familiar with the matter. ...