NEWS RELEASE

19 April 2016

Voting trial cancellation a lost opportunity

Wellington’s Deputy Mayor, Justin Lester, says the cancellation of the onlinevoting trial proposed for this year’s local body elections is disappointing – and a lost opportunity.

Associate Local Government Minister Louise Upston today announced that the online voting trial proposed for this year’s local body elections will not proceed as more work is required to ensure a trial meets public and government expectations.

Councillor Lester, Chair of Wellington City Council’s Governance, Finance and Planning Committee, says: “Clearly we’re disappointed given the amount of work Wellington City Council and the other participating councils have put in to the exercise so far.

“In the interests of increasing voter turnout we were hoping we’d get the trial across the line for the local elections this October.

“But I can also understand the reasons for the cancellation – until everyone is confident we have a hack-proof, bullet-proof online system in place, we can’t go ahead.

“I urge the Government, however, to continue efforts to make online voting a reality – both at national and local level – as soon as possible.”

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