Panel says now not the time for Internet voting; more study is needed

VICTORIA – A panel formed by B.C.’s chief electoral officer says provincial and municipal governments should not implement Internet voting until a technical committee can study potential systems and test security concerns.

The recommendation is one of four submitted to the legislature by the independent panel, which says those who administer elections don’t have the technical expertise to evaluate voting systems.

The panel was created in August 2012 because the province wanted to assess the opportunities and challenges of Internet voting.

It met 13 times between September 2012 and October 2013, before releasing a preliminary report and gathering further public input.

If the province or municipalities decide to implement Internet voting, the panel says they should work together and conduct a more rigorous review of their options.

The panel says the technical committee would be established by the chief electoral officer, to whom it would report.