Canada Expands Use of Online Voting in Municipal Elections

The use of election technologies in Canadian municipal elections is growing. In Ontario, internet voting usage rose by 14 percentage points since 2022, with about 66% of municipalities offering online voting options.

A report by Goodman et al. highlights that technologies like online voting, e-poll books, and electronic tabulators have increased voter participation, improved equity, and reduced wait times.

Despite widespread trust in the electoral process—86% of Canadians expressed high confidence in the recent federal election—many remain concerned about the security of online voting methods.

Canada could enhance online election security by adopting strategies from Estonia and Germany. Estonia uses digital ID cards for secure online voting, while Germany emphasizes transparency and public verification of election processes.

Currently, Ontario municipalities rely on date of birth for voter authentication, a method that poses security risks due to its ease of access and potential for re-identification.

Estonia’s digital ID system allows voters to authenticate their identity through a card reader or mobile ID, offering a more secure alternative to date of birth verification.