Government to trial electronic voting

Five wards will test the new ways of voting in the forthcoming local elections

The UK government is to trial forms of electronic voting, including telephone and internet ballots.

Five wards will test the new ways of voting in the forthcoming local elections, and six council election votes will be counted by electronic scanning machines in an effort to reduce costs and increase efficiency.

"More and more people, and particularly young people, are using the internet everyday," said Bridget Prentice, elections minister at the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

"We need to see if we can use this to encourage people even more to participate in the democratic process, and allow them to vote in more convenient ways consistent with a modern lifestyle.

"Not everyone can get to a polling station, so we need to introduce new ways to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote."

No details have been announced about how internet or telephone voting systems will be protected against fraud.

Other trials include placing additional polling booths in popular locations, some outside the ward. Advance voting trials will also be extended.

The Electoral Commission will evaluate the tests and publish its findings by August 2007. The independent body will consider the impact of innovations on participation, security and cost effectiveness.