Author: The Record
Published January 29, 2024

By Daniel Kirchin

Local Journalism Initiative

Elections Quebec has unveiled its selection of 21 cities set to participate in Quebec’s inaugural internet voting trial during the upcoming 2025 municipal elections.

The initiative will bring online voting options to specific districts or boroughs within the cities of Magog, Drummondville, and Granby, with the determination of participation to be decided by each municipality throughout the year.

The announcement stems from Élections Québec’s call for interest in taking part in the online voting pilot project, initiated in May 2023. A plan was then created for targeting municipalities with populations exceeding 20,000 residents. The focus on more populous areas aims to address the issue of unopposed elections and to ensure active voter engagement.

In an interview with Elections Québec, spokesperson Julie St-Arnaud-Drolet explained the many aspects of the pilot project to take place.

Although internet voting has not been implemented or experimented with in either provincial or federal elections in Quebec, its possible advantages have attracted the attention of various governments and legislatures. Drolet stated that “over the last decade, Ontario, British Columbia, New Brunswick, and the federal government have all undertaken studies on internet voting”.

This is alongside countries in Europe such as France, Switzerland, Norway and Estonia that all have online elections now, she added.

According to a study conducted by Elections Quebec on online voting initiatives around the world, municipal administrations adopting internet voting are primarily doing so to enhance accessibility and convenience for voters. In some instances, there is also a hope that it will lead to increased voter turnout.

“In Estrie in 2021, the election turnouts in municipal elections were 33.8 per cent in Drummondville; 39.2 per cent in Magog; and 41.4 per cent in Granby,” Drolet said. All of these are well below the 62 per cent turnout that was seen at the 2021 Canadian general election, and still below the average voter turnout in Quebec by-elections which is quoted as 41 per cent by Elections Quebec.

The study also notes that many municipalities see internet voting as a solution to the challenge of recruiting elections officers. Additionally, this voting option allows for an extension of the period during which voters can cast their ballots. The process of introducing internet voting is not uniform across municipalities, as each is responsible for managing its own elections. For instance, the duration of internet voting availability, the registration process, and the combination of different voting methods such as paper, mail, and telephone, vary from one municipality to another.

Drolet also mentioned that “Municipal administrations adopting internet voting are doing so for enhancing accessibility and convenience for voters.” Those that Drolet mentioned included those with disabilities, who live in rural areas, and those who are eligible to vote in Quebec elections outside of the province who will benefit the most from this initiative.

The selected municipalities vary widely in administrative region and size, providing a comprehensive overview of internet voting usage in diverse environments. However, around 300,000 voters will be able to the test the vote via the internet.

Regarding security, Drolet explained that Elections Quebec is set to employ an online voting system crafted by a specialized firm.

A call for proposals went out on Oct. 16 to identify a proficient supplier.

“We would like the company to carry out these online elections to have already worked on one in the past,” Drolet said.

The chosen company will be disclosed in the summer of 2024, after undergoing a meticulous selection process. Drolet further stated that, “the selected company must fulfill over a hundred specified criteria and successfully undergo testing and safety evaluations,” to ensure the security of the vote.

Elections Quebec also announced that this won’t be the only way to vote while these trials are taking place. Electors who will be able to vote via the internet will also have access to all other voting arrangements. They will therefore be able to choose to vote via the internet or in person.

Voting via the internet will be offered over two three-day voting periods. During these periods, it will be offered continuously, 24 hours a day. It will not be available on advance voting days or on election day.

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