Half of Brits support e-voting

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Ahead of local government elections in May, a survey by YouGov has revealed that half of British voters would be more likely to vote if offered electronic voting methods.

According to the poll, which was commissioned by telco ntl:Telewest Business, 46 per cent of the 2,287 British adults surveyed said they would give their support to electronic voting and would be more likely to vote because of it.

Younger voters are even more supportive of such voting technology, with 57 per cent of 18- to 34-year-olds saying it would make them more likely to vote. Over a third of people over 55 agreed with them.

At the elections this May, 12 local authorities will trial internet and telephone voting.

"Local government is often a shining example of how to provide online services, as such allowing local citizens to vote online would be very much in keeping with the digital age in which we now live," said Christopher Small, director of public sector at ntl:Telewest Business, in a statement. "Trialling this tactic at a local government level should pave the way for e-voting in general elections, where voter turnout is also on the decrease."

The study also found that a third of respondents contact their local council using the telephone, while a quarter use email or an online portal - though as IT PRO's sister publication Micro Mart has found, not all politicians reply.

Local councils need to be efficient with their use of communication technology though, as just nine per cent of people surveyed visit their council in person while six per cent still prefer to send a letter.

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