§ Ms AthertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions further to his announcement on 5 February 2002,Official Report, column 829W, on local authorities who have been approved to run electoral modernisation pilot schemes in the May 2002 local elections, what other authorities have been approved to run schemes; and if he will make a statement. [36971]
§ Mr. RaynsfordI am pleased to announce that Middlesbrough council will join the 13 other local authorities to pilot an all postal ballot at local and mayoral elections this May.
I announced the other successful pilots for the May 2002 local elections on 5 February, when I gave the go-ahead for 30 councils to pilot new ways of voting and counting. These included testing early voting, all postal ballots and mobile ballot kiosks. Over half will explore innovative ways in which people can vote electronically including via the internet.
The pilot programme aims to build on the successes of earlier pilots—in the 2000 local elections—and explore other techniques to make the voting process simpler, accessible and more efficient for the electorate. We are particularly keen to engage younger voters and feel the new innovations will help.
In addition I have agreed that Kerrier district council who is due to hold a by-election for a casual vacancy can pilot an all postal ballot on that occasion.