Online voting coming to Aurora for 2018 municipal election
Technology and accessibility reasons Aurora is making switch to online voting

yorkregion.com
June 6, 2017
By Amanda Persico

Instead of checking the ballot, Aurora residents will be clicking a mouse instead during the 2018 municipal election.

Residents will have the option of voting online from the comforts of home during early voting days leading up to the October 2018 election.

The 2018 municipal election will be a mix of old and new, with at least half a dozen traditional voting stations and online voting.

Aurora has been using electronic vote tabulators since the 2000 municipal election.

Initially, town staff recommended an Internet only option for next year’s election. Concerns were raised about security and voter fraud, so council opted for a hybrid option.

“Aurora was not ready to make that leap,” said the town’s chief administrative officer Doug Nadoronzy said. “This is our compromise version.”

With the fast pace of changing technology, town-owned tabulators are outdated and it made more economical sense to rent tabulators for the next municipal election.

“Technology is changing all the time,” Nadoronzy said. “We don’t know what technology will be available for the 2022 election.”

Allowing online voting breaks down some of the barriers and makes democracy more accessible, said Nadoronzy.

“Now, it’s easier for someone with a disability to vote at home or someone can help an elderly parent vote on an iPad,” he said.

Online voting also allows those who speak other languages can take advantage of online translation tools while voting. More than 25 per cent of Aurorans speak another language at home.

The next step is for the town to tender and secure an online elections firm.

The new hybrid voting system will cost about $476,000.

To avoid being stuck with a one-time bill, Aurora has been putting about $81,500 aside each year since 2015.

The election budget shortfall - about $150,000 - will be funded from the town’s reserves, Nadoronzy said.

“Each election is different,” he said “It’s not comparable, it’s not apples to apples.”

How online voting will shape up remains a mystery.

Details such as advance online voting dates and online voting security and logistics are to be ironed out and finalized by the end of the year.