Online voting trial slammed as 'ego trip'

Whanganui might be one of the eight councils in line to trial online voting in next October's local body elections but it is not a given that it will participate.

The Government still has to give final approval for the trial and that is not expected until February 5. A number of Whanganui District councillors still have misgivings about being in the trial.

Mayor Annette Main told the council's meeting this week that when the Government make its final decision that would be the time when the council could decide if it wanted to take part.

The elections cost the council $100,000 but half of that is shared by Horizons Regional Council and the Whanganui District Health Board. Whanganui's electoral office handles the voting for those other two bodies.

However, being involved in the online trial would cost the council an extra $75,000 and that figure had some councillors baulking.

Councillor Jason Granville said while he supported being in the trial, he thought being first in line would mean getting some financial assistance from central government.

Councillor Helen Craig did not get support for a recommendation that the council should decide whether or not to be in the trial at its first meeting in the New Year. But Councillor Sue Westwood said until the Minister of Local Government made his decision "we cannot vote on it".

But Councillor Rob Vinsen said the council should tell the minister now that it did not want to be involved. Mr Vinsen said nearly every other council stayed away from the trial and the "sooner we move away from it the better in my view".

He said he believed the issue was "nothing more than an ego trip".

"Experts say only 20 per cent will vote online and in our district that means only 6000 voters.

"We're putting our hand up for something we're a sucker for," Mr Vinsen added.

It will be back on the council's agenda early in the new year.