Administering elections in a digital age: Online voting in Ontario municipalities

Abstract

To date, online voting studies have focused on impacts on political behaviour and voting security. Analyses of impacts on administrators and electoral governance remain sparse internationally and are relegated to overviews in technical reports in Canada (Pammett and Goodman 2013; Goodman and Pyman 2016). Drawing on an original survey of local administrators in Ontario following the 2014 municipal elections, this article explores how online voting impacts election administration. Findings suggest strong satisfaction with online voting, citizen-centered rationales for adoption, and key differences in challenges and cost based on municipal size. We conclude with implications for the local governance of elections as technology plays a greater role in voting processes. Sommaire : Jusqu'à présent, les études sur le vote en ligne se sont axées sur les incidences sur le comportement politique et sur la sécurité du vote. Les analyses des répercussions sur les administrateurs et sur la gestion électorale restent rares à l'échelle internationale et, au Canada, elles sont reléguées à des aperçus dans des rapports techniques (Pammett et Goodman 2013; Goodman et Pyman 2016). Cet article s'appuie sur un sondage initial auprès d'administrateurs locaux en Ontario effectué après les élections municipales de 2014, pour étudier les répercussions du vote en ligne sur l'administration électorale. Les résultats indiquent un haut niveau de satisfaction avec le vote en ligne, des justifications axées sur les citoyens pour son adoption, et des différences clés dans les défis et les coûts selon la taille de la municipalité.En conclusion, nous soulignons les implications pour la gouvernance locale des élections alors que la technologie joue un rôle croissant dans les processus de vote.

Where regulation counts: Provincial regulation of municipal elections in Canada

“…On the other hand, lack of regulation is not necessarily detrimental, since, through municipal by‐laws, municipalities have some room to experiment with new procedures and tailor regulations to suit the needs of their residents (provided that these by‐laws conform to the regulations of the province). We note that municipalities have become a type of “policy lab” that allows different electoral procedures to be tested (Imbeau et al, 2000), notably in the realm of technology and Internet voting (Essex & Goodman, 2020; Goodman & Spicer, 2019), but also in new electoral systems, such as those recently enacted by some Ontario municipalities (Kurs, 2020).…”

“…One such area is the use of technology in the voting process, where Canadian municipalities have been at the forefront of the use of electronic and Internet voting (Goodman & Spicer, 2019). Goodman et al have studied the impact of these innovations on voting methods in Canadian municipalities (Goodman et al, 2018).…”

“…They find that when Internet voting is the only option offered, it disenfranchises people who are not digitally literate, but when offered in tandem with conventional methods, it may increase voter turnout by engaging non-voters. However, there are also concerns with Internet voting, as it requires effective communication with voters and brings with it new security concerns (Goodman & Spicer, 2019).…”

The Digitization of Democracy in Practice

“…Finally, Internet voting can have a transformative effect on election administration. With online voting, there will be a reduced need for the government to deploy and operate the physical polling infrastructure and to equip the voters with essential hardware (Goodman and Spicer, 2019). Less personnel will be required to perform absentee voting and counting.…”

Verifiability Experiences in Ontario’s 2022 Online Elections

“…The City of Markham was the largest of twelve municipalities in Ontario to first adopt online voting in 2003. At the time, Markham housed IBM Canada's headquarters, which led many to view the community as a technical leader [40]. The city has continued to be a leader in online voting by forming community partnerships, surveying voters, and trialing new technologies to improve voter experiences and innovate elections.…”