Gatineau to join Québec's Internet Voting Pilot Project for 2025 Municipal Elections

Tashi Farmilo

In an innovative move toward enhancing electoral accessibility, Gatineau, along with 20 other Québec municipalities, is set to participate in an Internet voting pilot project for the 2025 general municipal elections. This initiative, orchestrated by Élections Québec in collaboration with the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation, represents a significant step in modernizing the voting process.

The pilot project is guided by five fundamental principles: accessibility, free exercise of the right to vote, secrecy of the vote, integrity of the process and results, and transparency of the process. These principles aim to ensure that the introduction of Internet voting not only facilitates access but also maintains the integrity and trustworthiness of the electoral process.

The project's framework includes a centralized administration system, with Internet voting serving as an additional option rather than a replacement for traditional voting methods. Voters in participating districts will have six extra days to cast their ballots online. However, this option will be available only in select districts or boroughs of the participating municipalities, emphasizing the project's cautious and phased approach. The specific districts in Gatineau that will have access to Internet voting are expected to be announced by the fall of 2024.

Gatineau, along with 20 other municipalities such as Montréal, Québec, Laval, and Drummondville, were chosen based on various factors, including population size and regional representation. This selection ensures a comprehensive overview of the Internet voting experience across different Québec regions.

In preparation for this undertaking, Élections Québec issued a call for tenders on October 16, 2023, to acquire a suitable Internet voting solution. This solution must meet over a hundred criteria related to features, reliability, accessibility, and cybersecurity, and is open to both Canadian and international suppliers.

For Gatineau, this project presents an opportunity to be at the forefront of electoral innovation in Québec. By participating in this pilot, the city is contributing to a potentially transformative change in the way citizens engage in the democratic process. The success of this pilot in Gatineau and other municipalities could pave the way for broader implementation of Internet voting in future elections, offering a more accessible, efficient, and secure voting method for all.

Photo caption: Gatineau, together with 20 other municipalities in Québec, is poised to join a groundbreaking Internet voting pilot project aimed at improving electoral accessibility for the 2025 general municipal elections.

Photo credit: Tashi Farmilo