Electronic voting schemes enjoyed mixed results in the West Midlands. Innovative schemes allowing residents to cast their ballot over the Internet or using their television remote control were tested by a number of councils. Where electronic voting was available, it was used by one in five people who took part in the election, figures from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have revealed. In Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, where both Internet and television voting was on offer, turnout was 54 per cent - up 11 per cent from the last local election. However in Stratford, which offered Internet voting, turnout was actually down - from 45 per cent in 2002 to 35 per cent last week. Shrewsbury and Atcham was making electronic voting available for the first time while in Stratford it had been available in previous years. Some critics of electronic voting have claimed it will boost turnout only in the short term, while it has novelty value. However, Stratford MP John Maples said the fall in turnout might simply be due to the fact that more council seats were contested last time, giving the elections a higher profile. He said he backed electronic voting in principle but had concerns over security. "What concerns me is the possibility of fraud, particularly in large cities such as Birmingham where there are large numbers of people in multiple occupations. If these issues can be addressed I wouldn't have any problem with it at all." Across the country, 59 local authorities were holding electoral pilot schemes making this year the biggest ever test of new voting technology. They included allowing people to vote by touch telephone and mobile text messaging. Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford said: "The early signs are extremely positive and it does seem that the various electoral pilot schemes could have an important role in moving the UK towards a total e-enabled General Election sometime after 2006. "I look forward to the full evaluation on the success of the pilot schemes which will be prepared in due course, but I'm very encouraged and pleased that so many voters have taken this opportunity to take part in the biggest e-voting test ever held. "With this Government being committed to holding a totally eenabled General Election sometime after 2006, it is important that we trial the technology and identify problems now. "That is the whole point of pilots. I am pleased to say that the security and integrity of the election was not compromised at all." | 
