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Élections Québec scraps plan to hold internet vote pilot project in 2025

MONTREAL — Quebec's elections agency has cancelled a pilot project to test internet voting during the 2025 municipal elections.
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A voter casts their ballot in the Quebec provincial election, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Montreal. Quebec's election czar has cancelled a pilot project to test internet voting during the 2025 municipal elections. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

MONTREAL — Quebec's elections agency has cancelled a pilot project to test internet voting during the 2025 municipal elections.

Élections Québec said in a statement today the companies that answered a call for tenders to set up the infrastructure were not able to meet the necessary requirements.

Jean-François Blanchet, head of the organization, says a pilot project was always conditional on having a reliable, secure and accessible solution.

The agency wanted to allow about 300,000 eligible voters in 21 municipalities to vote online during 2025 municipal elections.

Élections Québec's goal was to make it easier to participate in the electoral process, and also maintain traditional paper ballots.

The agency says it will consider launching another pilot for online voting during the 2029 municipal elections.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press