OTTAWA, June 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The CIO Strategy Council and the Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technologies are collaborating to develop Standards to guide the use of vote tabulators and electronic poll books. The Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario established the Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technologies under amendments to Ontario’s Election Act that was introduced in April 2021. These Standards would advise and guide election administrators in the areas of electoral technology, evaluation of voting technologies, and deployment of voting technologies.
Development of the Standards will be led by the newly created Technical Committee 14: Vote Tabulators and Electronic Poll Books. This committee will be comprised of electoral voting experts, officials, academia and solution providers. As the first ever Standards for vote tabulators and electronic poll books in Canada, this work will provide a framework that other jurisdictions could adopt nationally. This work will provide a vehicle for continuity of standards. Further, the development of Standards is a critical step towards positioning Canada to become a global leader in regulating voting technologies.
The draft “CAN/CIOSC 119-X:20XX (D1), Election and Voting Technologies – Part X: Vote Tabulators and Electronic Poll Books” is in the initial drafting stage. You are invited to participate in the Technical Committee by contacting Julia Hancock at Julia.hancock@ciostrategycouncil.com. Your comments will help us ensure the widest possible range of perspectives are considered during the drafting process. Please feel free to pass this information along to anyone in your network you think might be interested.
Quotes
Jean-Pierre Kingsley, Chair of Elections Ontario Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technology:
“The work being undertaken by Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technologies, with the CIO Strategy Council, is driven by an ongoing commitment to ensure Ontario elections continue to meet voter expectations while protecting the security and integrity of our elections. The Advisory Committee looks forward to working with the CIO Strategy Council to build on and strengthen Ontario’s safeguards and requirements for the security and operability of voting technologies and equipment. We’re pleased to lead technical collaboration with the CIO Strategy Council, political party representatives, experts in the field and interested members of the public to develop standards that will continue to protect the integrity of Ontario elections.”
Keith Jansa, Executive Director of the CIO Strategy Council:
“It's great to partner with the Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technologies to help standardize electoral processes in Canada. As we increasingly rely on technology in these crucial democratic processes, it’s imperative that we establish the proper guardrails to protect the interests of all Canadians.”
For media inquiries:
Julia Hancock
Senior Project Manager, Standards
CIO Strategy Council
julia.hancock@ciostrategycouncil.com
About the Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technologies
The Chief Electoral Officer of Ontario has established the Advisory Committee on Standards for Voting Technologies under Ontario’s Election Act as amended by the Protecting Ontario Elections Act, 2021. The Advisory Committee will work in partnership with the CIO Strategy Council to develop standards for voting equipment and vote counting equipment used in Ontario’s provincial elections. The committee is made up of individuals chosen by each political party in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and three other members appointed by the Chief Electoral Officer. The full list of committee membership is available here.
If you have any questions about the committee, please call 1.855.440.4041 or email advisory.committee@elections.on.ca.
About the CIO Strategy Council
The CIO Strategy Council is Canada’s national forum that brings together the country’s most forward-thinking chief information officers and executive technology leaders to collectively mobilize on common digital priorities. Cutting across major sectors of the Canadian economy – public, private and not for profit – the Council harnesses the collective expertise and action of Canada’s CIOs to propel Canada as a digital-first nation. The CIO Strategy Council is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada and develops standards that support the data-driven economy.
