The Department of Constitutional Affairs is urging local authorities to pilot e-voting schemes in the May 2007 local elections.

Bridget Prentice, Democracy Minister at the DCA, said in a statement she wanted to make it easier for people to vote if they can't get to polling stations.

She also mentioned youngsters, who like to use the Internet, apparently. Ergo, the DCA needs to allow them to vote on the Internet.

The assumption appears to be that youngsters are too lazy to get off their backsides to go to the polling station, rather than that they have no interest, or feel disenfranchised. So think of them as though you were a supermarket and they were your customers.

E-voting will also be more "efficient" and "cost-effective" for the government, said the statement.

It did not address the serious security concerns of e-voting systems, covered extensively on this website.

But it did say that a variety of mediums would be piloted, including internet, telephones and kiosks. ®

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