On-line voting in Hamilton?

Burlington is doing it, as are many other Ontario communities. Should Hamilton make an on-line voting option available for the upcoming election? Does on-line voting make sense given dwindling turnout? What about security concerns?

Comments

[R M PASTORIUS & J D GODIN]

As a property owner and taxpayer, I question who or what machine is used to sent out voter and pole information cards, as both my partner and I who are listed on the tax payers rolls, did not receive cards. Yet we did for the federal election.??? Result we did not know where the voting station was located!!

[Stench]

Hacker infiltration ends D.C. online voting trial
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2010/10/hacker_infiltration_ends_dc_on.html

Experts raise warning flags over D.C. Internet voting plan
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/debonis/2010/09/experts_raise_warning_flags_ov.html

[shamrocked]

I'm not as concerned about hacking as good old fashioned coercion. With the secret ballot, nobody, including your spouse/children/parents knows how you *really* voted. With online voting, they can stand over your shoulder as you vote or even worse take your 'code' and vote on your behalf. This is a real concern in the case of elderly parents or abusive relationships in general. Plus, now you really can sell your vote! For these reasons I am against online voting.

[John McIntyre]

The McMaster Students Union is testing out Online Voting for the first time this year to address low voter turnout and the amount of resources needed for paper balloting. Seems to be a trend moving across campuses - could be cool for cities/provinces/Canada as well!

[Hopeful]

IMHO if people can't find the time to visit a polling booth, their true desire to inform themselves and vote can't be taken to seriously.

[TheRandomFactor]

I would agree to that as long as there is an independent audit of the results to be sure hackers don't manipulate the votes.Far more convienent....

[ed]

Its about time for crapsake, what a waste of millions of dollars to stand in line and put a piece of paper in a box, lol. Like we're a 3rd world country for god sake. Problems arise with boxes of paper to, we've seen it before. The net is here and billions of commerce happen through it. Banks, utilities and just about everyone else is taking advantage, why not voting. Where are the opinions of tree huggers that want to save garbage and paper. Political parties driving elderly to polling stations should be outlawed, illegal influencing or what. Let them vote at home so they're not pushed one way or the other.

[Steve Sheen]

Sign of the time's i think.

[Peter Swire, CMA]

If we assume that people are lazy and disinterested in voting as it takes time to go to a polling station, why not vote from the convenience of your home? I would respectfully submit that that turnout could be higher. What is more important is that it would improve the democratization of City Hall and the accountability of the councillors. Taken a step further, if every expenditure of at least a million dollars was put to a vote, it is more apt to get public endorsement rather than our wrath at election time.

[ernest]

Bad Idea.Impractical,prone to misuse,just all round wrong thinking.

[kevv]

great idea...
we could could then vote for other things like where to put the stadium etc.
let the councilors know where we want our money to be spent instead of wasting thousands on consultants who know nothing about hamilton

[Stench]

Bad idea! Read http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6898
"If hackers from foreign countries can penetrate the Pentagon and military computer networks with strategically-timed attacks, what would prevent them (or home-grown hackers) from destroying or changing the votes of Americans casting ballots over the Internet --- potentially impacting results of American elections?"