Would You Vote In Favour Of Running Harpenden Yourself?

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  Thanks Dean, and yes, I'm sure you are right when you say we can expect trials of online voting to take place in the near future. Whether the public will have increased trust in technology, or politicians for that matter, will remain to be seen. Guess we are all looking for proof on both counts. Exciting times ahead!

  By debbigg at 20:26 on 23/03/10

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  Hi debbigg,
  
  Thanks for your response.  As outlined above - I agree with all the comments that people are clearly disillusioned with politics and tonights episode of Dispatches about Ministers for Hire, will no doubt add to this in the run up to the election.
  
  In saying that, and going back to your original point about online voting, whilst I think the concept is a logical one in the future I would be surprised if it becomes a reality very soon.  Not because I don't believe the technology wouldn't be able  handle it (although I don't believe it could right now) - but because I fear the general public aren't yet ready to accept that it could be done without a risk to their privacy, security or widespread fraud.
  
  Close to home we saw St Albans District Council lose several laptops in the last 12 months, and therein, several thousand voters details.  Over the past few years, the Government (or Government organisations) have been hit with scandals of missing data too - which I believe has naturally created dents in peoples trust of how their personal data is stored.
  
  So as the technology catches up, and if the trust of the public can be placed at ease then I would be the first to back such an initiative.  Just like postal votes, the importance will be in making sure there is awareness of how to do this and that it will provide an additional benefit to the public.  As such, I would not be surprised if there were some small trials of online voting before the next general election in 2014/5 and would gladly promote this option if it got more people out to vote.
  
  Thanks
  
  Dean Russell
  tinyurl.com/yjambxc

  By Dean_Russell at 22:35 on 22/03/10

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  We're keen to hear what our local candidates stand for and against here on the site. It's always good to have a bit of heat in discussion and debate in a democratic society. I think most of us appreciate and applaud those who focus on their policies rather than campaigns full of negative attacks. Makes you think, how would our politicians get on in the corporate worlds many of us inhabit, where professionalism and respect are key to delivery and progress?

  By debbigg at 14:33 on 18/03/10

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  Technology is simply a channel to market, channel to the electorate, whatever one wants to call it. The depressing fact as we approach the general election is that our main political parties are so lacking in courage they fail to tell us what they plan to do in the years ahead. We have the choice of Labour (we'll keep on spending our way out of trouble and hope no one calls in the loan), the Tories (get rid of Labour, trust us instead, but sorry, we can't really tell you what we're going to do as you might not like us if we told you the truth) and the Lib Dems (we talk a fair bit of sense, but will we ever win enough seats to be taken seriously?)
  
  Meanwhile at local level, the mud-slinging between our local parties borders on the infantile. It appears to be little more than a sabre rattling exercise.
  
  I'm convinced politics needs brave people. People prepared to admit that we face tough choices. We will have to pay more taxes, which some of us can easily afford to do, and we will have to streamline our public services. We may have to rein in our ambitions to be a dominant world player and reduce our commitment to Afghanistan for example. It may be a worthy cause, but if we don't have the resources to give our troops a fighting chance, should we be there? We may have to delay some of our infrastructure projects. I believe £350 million is to be spent on widening the M1 between junctions 10 and 13. I just feel this money could be better used elsewhere, perhaps repairing roads in the Beds, Herts and Bucks area.
  
  I believe our commitments to health, social care and education should remain untouched by cuts, but in every other of life, we're going to have to take some pain. I'll vote (either in the flesh or digitally!) for the party that is most honest about what it believes lies ahead.
  
  best wishes
  David Josephs

  By DavidJosephs at 13:53 on 18/03/10

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  Thanks for your take on the story, Dean, and I agree with a lot of what you are saying. However in this digital age, I guess it's good that there are people out there like Denny de la Haye pushing the boundaries and putting such ideas in to the ring for discussion.
  
  It will be interesting to see how technology is used in the run up to the election. Will seats be won or lost with the likes of Twitter and other social networking sites?
  
  Feel free to blog here and hopefully we'll get some debate going with local residents and the opposition parties.
  
  Meanwhile, as you understand both politics and tech issues, what do you think about giving voters the opportunity to cast their vote online? Surely that can't be too far away? And wouldn't that engage and attract a new generation of voters, who won't head for the polling station? Be interested to get your opinion.

  By debbigg at 18:30 on 17/03/10

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