Smiths Falls opting for electronic voting for 2022 municipal election

Next year's municipal election in the Town of Smiths Falls will look a little different, with the town's council opting for electronic voting instead of paper ballots.

Smiths Falls' council endorsed a plan for voting to be conducted exclusively by telephone or Internet in the 2022 municipal election.

Residents will receive personal identification numbers in the mail allowing them to vote. In-person voting will also be offered at polling stations for those who need assistance.

Smiths Falls Mayor Shawn Pankow says electronic voting will make the overall process much more efficient and streamlined, while reducing the risk of a recount. Pankow also hopes the new method will lead to higher voter turnout.

“[Voter turnout is] a little disappointing and surprising, when it's actually municipal government that has the largest impact on people's lives,” he told CityNews Ottawa's The Sam Laprade Show on Tuesday, November 2. “There always seems to be lots of talk about the actions of municipal government between elections, then election day rolls around and turnout tends to be 50 to 60 per cent.”

Pankow adds, fraud isn't much of a concern with electronic voting, since he says it has been proven time and time again that the risk of fraud is extremely modest, and not likely to impact the outcome of the election.

The municipal election is slated for October 2022.