The details are sketchy to say the least but Silicon.com is reporting that the Greater London Authority is looking to introduce e-voting for the mayoral elections in 2008 This would be a major leap from their current use of electronic counting of paper ballots. Silicon.com state that all channels are being considered (the Internet, telephone, mobile phone, text messaging, e-voting booths and digital TV). If a by-election or referendum popped up before 2008 then they might use the systems early. Lucky London.
The article notes that the counting contract alone cost £5m this year. That’s a lot of taxpayer cash for what?
Unfortunately a leader by Silicon.com raises some of the cost and security issues but argues that we will have to embrace e-voting. Why? Let me quote the final part of the leader in full:
But this is a technology which has to be embraced and the scepticism which surrounds all voting means we should be building in a fairly high tolerance to criticism threshold.
By 2008 the technology and the means of identity verification should be robust enough to guarantee a fairly flawless e-voting system.
We have to hope the knowledge and the implementation process also doesn’t let it down.
Because underpinning any e-voting rollout is the obvious fact it is a government IT project – and enough has been written in the past about the fact that is almost a by-word for ‘over budget, over time and flawed’.
So risking going over-budget with precious tax money is ok because we must embrace the technology? Hmmm. Perhaps by 2008 the major problems with e-voting will have been addressed. Perhaps. But the Greater London Authority is buying the voting systems this or next year so they will have yesterday’s technology tomorrow. Not good.
Jason Kitcat 