§ Mr. MillerTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the names of those authorities that have been approved to run electoral modernisation pilot schemes in the May 2002 local elections; and if he will make a statement. [34272]
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List of applications Name of Council Type of ballot Area covered Borough of Basingstoke and Deane All postal Three wards Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council E-voting (kiosk) and e-counting All wards Borough of Broxbourne E-counting Four wards London Borough of Camden Early weekend voting (27–28 April) in addition to 2 May All wards Chester City Council E-voting (touch screen machine) and e-counting Three wards Chorley Borough Council All postal and e-counting All wards Crawley Borough Council All postal Three wards
§ Mr. RaynsfordI have today agreed that 30 local authorities will pilot new methods of voting at local and mayoral elections this May.
These electoral modernisation pilots build on the 2000 local election pilots and will test new and easier arrangements, such as early voting, all postal ballots and mobile ballot kiosks.
The earlier successes of postal voting ensure it will play a key role in the pilot programme. In the 2000 local elections, most postal pilots recorded a 50 per cent. or greater rise in the number of votes cast compared with previous local elections in 1999. The 2001 general election saw a record number of postal votes cast—some 1.4 million, compared with 738,614 postal votes at the 1997 general election. Postal voting has shown that it can make a difference. The pilot programme aims, therefore, to build upon these successes and explore all-postal ballots and other techniques to make the voting process simpler, accessible and more efficient for the electorate.
In addition over half of the pilots will explore innovative ways in which people can vote electronically using mobile phone text message services, touch telephone, local digital television and on-line voting methods using home computers, local libraries and council-run information kiosks. The councils involved will be working with IT suppliers.
This marks an important first step towards e-voting across the country. The pilots will be crucial in building public confidence and testing technical robustness to ensure that the integrity of the poll is maintained. We are particularly keen to engage younger voters and feel these new innovations will help. Our aim is to learn from these pilots so we can confidently modernise our voting arrangements—making the most of new technology so that voting is more accessible for everyone, but at the same time secure and efficient. We propose an ever more extensive programme of pilots at future local elections to open up the possibility of an e-enabled general election some time after 2006.
My announcement reflects the Government's commitment to modernising our democratic processes. My Department has worked with the Electoral Commission, the Local Government Association and the Office of the e-Envoy in considering all of the 41 bids received. The successful authorities, together with a brief description of the activity to be undertaken in the pilot, are listed in the table. Of the remaining authorities, three withdrew their bids, eight applications were judged to fall outside our published criteria or the scope of the enabling legislation.
The Electoral Commission will be providing support and advice to pilot authorities. We will be providing financial support for the costs of IT investment—up to £3.5 million. Officials will now be discussing allocation details with the pilot authorities and the IT suppliers.
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List of applications Name of Council Type of ballot Area covered Borough of Crewe and Nantwich E-voting (option of voting on line via Council's web site prior to 2 May) in addition to traditional methods Two wards Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council E-counting of elected Mayoral votes All wards Epping Forest District Council E-counting All wards Gateshead Council All postal All wards London Borough of Greenwich All postal Two wards London Borough of Hackney All postal and e-counting for local elections and mayoral referendum All wards London Borough of Havering All postal All wards Hyndburn Borough Council Leaflet address from all parties to each voter All wards The City of Liverpool E-voting and e-counting (telephone, internet, digital TV or text messaging) early voting—from 27–4. Real time on-line register at any polling station in voters ward Two/three wards London Borough of Newham E-voting and e-counting. Early voting, mobile voting and use of languages in voting All wards North Tyneside Council All postal in local and mayoral elections, and e-counting All wards North West Leicestershire District Council All postal One parish Preston Borough Council All postal Two wards Rugby Borough Council E-counting (use of optical scanners) All wards South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council All postal with electronic counting option All wards St Albans City and District Council E-voting (kiosk and internet) and e-counting Two wards Sheffield City Council E-voting (kiosk, internet and SMS mobile phone text) and e-counting in addition to traditional methods 3 wards Stevenage Borough Council All postal All wards Stratford-on-Avon District Council E-voting (kiosk) and e-counting All wards Swindon Borough Council Early voting (25–30 April) by internet or touch tone telephone (with in-built security measures) in addition to traditional methods All wards Trafford Metropolitan Borough All postal All wards London Borough of Wandsworth Extended hours from 7.00am to 10.00pm All wards City of Westminster E-counting and extended hours (0700–2200 hrs) All wards