The different methods of voting being tested include:

> Electronic voting using the internet and/or telephone, alongside existing polling stations (Rushmoor, Sheffield, Shrewsbury & Atcham, South Bucks and Swindon)

> Electronic scanning technology to count ballot papers (Bedford, Breckland, Dover, South Bucks, Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Warwick District Council)

> Advance voting (Bedford, Broxbourne, Gateshead, Sunderland, Rushmoor, Shrewsbury, South Bucks, Sheffield and Swindon)

> Additional central polling stations allowing people to cast their ballot at convenient locations that may be outside their ward (Sheffield, Shrewsbury & Atcham and Swindon)

Bridget Prentice, Elections Minister at the DCA, said:
"We need to test innovations on a local scale before we can think about making any decisions about the future.

"We need to make sure that people can vote in more convenient ways consistent with a modern lifestyle.

"Not everyone can get to a polling station, so we need to introduce new ways to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote.

"More and more people, and particularly young people, are using the internet everyday. We need to see if we can use this to encourage people even more to participate in the democratic process."

The pilots will test the effectiveness of innovations designed to improve participation and access to elections, enhance security and improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of election processes. These schemes build on a programme of work to modernise elections, which began in 2000.

Each pilot will be fully evaluated by the independent Electoral Commission, which will publish its findings by August 2007. The Commission will consider the impact of innovations on participation, security and cost effectiveness.

The pilot schemes will be delivered and managed by local authority returning officers.

Rushmore, Shrewsbury, South Bucks, Sheffield and Swindon area are piloting electronic advance voting.

Bedford, Broxbourne, Gateshead and Sunderland will be piloting paper based advanced voting.

Rushmore will not be piloting telephone voting.

Related links to this article:
Department for Constitutional Affairs [1]
Details of the Electoral Commission's evaluation of the May 2006 electoral pilots are at this link [2]

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