E-voting pilot project for 2025 municipal elections
Greg Newing
Some voters in Gatineau will be able to cast their ballots online during the next municipal election in fall 2025. Gatineau is among 21 cities selected by Elections Quebec to take part in the pilot project designed to test e-voting as a means to make elections more accessible.
The pilot project follows an in-depth study on e-voting carried out by Elections Quebec in 2020 and aims to involve 300,000 voters across the province. According to an Elections Quebec press release, the organization has adopted a “cautious and gradual” approach to testing online voting, which means that only one electoral district per city will be selected. While Gatineau has yet to announce its district, the city said the choice will be made according to “objective criteria of a technical and demographic nature” provided by Elections Quebec. Elections Quebec also said that selected districts should represent approximately 10% of a city’s voters.
According to a press release from the Ville de Gatineau, online voting will be offered over two three-day periods in advance of election day. Residents in the selected district will be able to vote at any hour during these periods. However, it will not be possible to vote online on advance polling days or on election day. All voters will still have the option to vote in person during the project.
A selection process is currently underway to identify a secure e-voting company with results to be announced this summer. Elections Quebec said that any company will need to meet over one hundred security requirements and pass a rigorous safety audit before being selected for the project.
“I am delighted that our city is participating in this pilot project for the 2025 municipal elections,” said Mayor France Bélisle, “This initiative, led and funded by Elections Quebec, aims to make democracy more accessible and inclusive for Gatineau residents. Online voting will be added to the traditional options, giving voters the freedom to choose the method that suits them best,” she concluded.
More information on the pilot project and other participating municipalities can be found at: https://www.electionsquebec.qc.ca/en under the heading “Internet Voting”.
