At a recent Work Session, Council gave direction to staff to move forward with a mobile voting pilot program for a mock election. This program will utilize blockchain technology, offering a secure method of voting that enables citizens to vote from anywhere, with a goal of increasing participation in City elections.
Vice Mayor Mark Stewart has spearheaded this effort since 2019, meeting with County and State officials to discuss using blockchain to conduct elections in Arizona and researching the success other cities have seen in using blockchain for military and overseas voters. This pilot program will help us identify the feasibility and interest of using this technology in future City elections, and Council believes this could enhance accessibility, increase voter participation and streamline the election process.
If approved at the August 26 Council Meeting, this pilot program will run for a three-week period after the City’s November 2 bond election has concluded. Questions will mirror the bond election and will gauge interest in utilizing mobile voting in future elections.
As the community of innovation, we pursue smart, sustainable solutions that empower, engage and improve the quality of life for residents and that advance our efforts to meet the unique needs of the community.
To review the Work Session presentation and to learn more about how the mobile voting pilot program will work, view the Work Session Agenda.