Angus added, “This will make voting much more accessible for a wide range of people – including those with special needs (particularly mobility challenges) and those who are travelling. It will also go a long way to reduce the frustration that we all experienced at the polling stations at the last election”.
Increasingly the move to online voting is happening in communities across Canada and around the world.
During the 2014 Civic Election, Thunder Bay saw the results delayed, and saw the City of Thunder Bay server crash as people were attempting to access voting results. The scene at City Hall on election night was an effort in frustration for media and public, as results were delayed for a long time.
Shuniah had electronic voting, it worked without a hitch, results were in fast, and there were no complaints or concerns.
Thunder Bay has seen use of electronic devices, and the Internet grow over the past eight years. The move to electronic voting is one that is due.
Opponents will certainly try to slow progress.
All forward progress has had its opponents. There was a time when to drive a car down a street one needed a flag person going ahead of the vehicle. There were times when people though travelling on a train was going to be dangerous to their health. Once upon a time people thought the earth was flat.
Thunder Bay has a choice, we can grab a hold of the past and attempt to hang on and stall progress, or we can move forward and attempt to get ahead of the curve.
With this motion, Thunder Bay is likely to get a taste of where our newly chosen City Councillors are on that issue.
Past or future?
That is the choice.
James Murray
