Skip to main content

Electronic Voting: Pilot Schemes

Question for Cabinet Office

UIN 125793, tabled on 30 January 2018

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps would be required for a local council in England to initiate a pilot of online voting.

Answered on

21 February 2018

The Government currently has no plans to pilot online voting and is committed in its 2017 manifesto to retain the traditional method of voting by pencil and paper.
Section 10 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 enables electoral pilot schemes to be held at local level elections in England and Wales. Under section 10, a local authority that wishes to hold a pilot must submit proposals for a scheme to the Secretary of State who will decide whether or not to approve the scheme. If the proposals are approved, the Secretary of State will make an order making the necessary provision to implement the scheme.

Answered by

Cabinet Office