Electronic home voting next in Norway
Jens Stoltenberg's second government was appointed by King Harald V on 17 October 2005. It is a majority government representing the Labor Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party. From left: Minister of Transport and Communications and leader of the Centre Party, Liv Signe Navarsete, Prime Minister and leader of the Labor Party, Jens Stoltenberg and Minister of Finance and leader of the Socialist Left Party, Kristin Halvorsen. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister.
The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is now working on a plan to test the possibility for allowing Norwegians to cast their vote from the home PC at the municipal elections in 2011.
The Minister of Local Government, Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa, is eager to introduce reforms which will increase the interest for elections and for voter participation. She says that the planned test will be carried out in a selected number of municipalities in two years. However, Kleppa says security will be given highest priority, to protect the system of secret balloting.
Three working groups will now participate in the preparations for the tests, one with representatives from the largest political parties, one with data experts and one with political analysts.
But people in the street, interviewed by NRK TV, said they would not want to miss the experience of lining up at the voting booths on election day.
Election day in Norway is Monday September 14, 2009. The Storting (Parliament) is Norway’s democratically elected national assembly. 169 representatives are elected for a four-year period of office. Their duty is to represent the population of all 19 constituencies, corresponding to the 19 counties of Norway. The most important activities of the Parliament are to pass laws, set the state budget and conduct the work of government.
Source: Norway Post / Government.no
