Mps Push for Online Voting

Maori MPs say research into online voting needs to go further than just local government level. They say the internet will play a big role in getting more Maori and young people to vote, but it needs to start sooner rather than later. Connecting to the world, and news of the day, can be accessed by the tap of a button. And in the future it will be used to vote. A steering group at the Ministry of Internal Affairs is continuing its research into online voting in local government. But it doesn't include general body elections. It'd be better to extend that to the General Election, such as this year's elections. This Maori internet guru says there's no time like the present to introduce online voting, and supports the benefits for Maori. Registering and voting is on Te Ururoa Flavell's agenda in Australia. Some think it's a waste of time to vote because voting takes place on paper, so they can't be bothered. The research is looking at overseas examples of online voting, but it isn't expected to have its first trial here until 2016. Irena Smith, Te Karere.