AN e-voting pilot scheme in St Albans' local government elections on May 2 has been declared a success despite a fall in turnout.

Voters in two wards were given the chance to e-vote as part of a national pilot to make voting more accessible to the public as part of a national try-out.

Project manager Helen Abraham told members of St Albans District Council's licensing and general purpose committee on Thursday that the project was successful in terms of achieving a fully electronic voting environment.

And she said although turnout figures were slightly lower than in 2000, the feedback from the public about the new technology was extremely positive.

In Sopwell ward turnout fell from 24.1 per cent to 23.3 per cent and in Verulam ward, turnout fell from 41.9 per cent to 38.9 per cent.

The 10,000 voters in these wards could vote at a kiosk in any one of five polling stations including one at Sainsbury's over the internet, by telephone or by postal vote during the Friday and Saturday before May 2, but not on polling day itself.

Around a quarter of people voted over the internet in each ward, 17 to 23 per cent voted by phone, and a third preferred to use the kiosk at the polling station.

Postal voting was very popular in Sopwell with 23 per cent of people voting this way.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands said that historically there had been a national decrease in voting so any project that could increase it was worth trying.

One of the most important objectives of the pilot e-voting project was to increase the number of voters.

Councillor Rowlands added: "I think we have to be careful describing it as a success because it wasn't in terms of turnout.

"The fact that it was early was a problem and that people were bombarded with information.

"Others complained that we weren't banging on the doors to remind them about the election."

Councillor Malachy Pakenham said it was very disappointing that the turnout went down.

The biggest problem was that people still wanted to vote on election day, he added.

Councillor Hazel Ward said she was very impressed by the performance of the e-voting method and dubbed the scheme a success.

"Let's not forget that this was an experiment and a trial.

"I was very aware of this and spoke to residents about the election," she said.

"Although a lot of people said that they should have been able to vote on the day, I still think on the whole it was very successful.

"I voted in Sainsbury's and I went along worth the attitude that I couldn't work a PC and got an administrator to stand beside me. I certainly think this method is the way forward and I think it is a superb idea."

June 27, 2002 11:30