A small northern Ontario municipality is considering a major change to how residents cast their ballots in local elections.

The Municipality of Markstay-Warren, located southeast of Sudbury, has issued a request for quotes seeking vendors to provide internet and telephone voting systems for use in the 2026 municipal and school board elections.

According to a public procurement notice posted on the Merx government tendering system, the municipality is looking for a contractor capable of delivering and administering a secure voting platform that would allow residents to vote remotely either online or by phone.

If implemented, the system would replace traditional paper ballots and in-person voting with a fully electronic voting process. These systems typically provide electors with a personal identification number that can be used to log in to a secure portal or automated telephone system to cast their vote during the election period.

Go Ad Free

Remote voting has been adopted by a number of municipalities across Ontario in recent years, particularly in smaller communities seeking to reduce staffing costs and increase accessibility for voters who may have mobility challenges or live in rural areas.

However, critics of online and phone in voting have raised concerns about the security and transparency of internet voting systems, noting that electronic ballots can be difficult to independently audit compared to paper ballots.

The Markstay-Warren procurement notice invites vendors to submit proposals outlining the technology, security protocols, voter authentication methods and administrative support required to run the election.

The selected system would be used for the 2026 municipal and school board elections, which will determine local council and trustee representation for the township.