An issue in Toronto is to blame for the problems with the local elections.
That’s the word from Dominion Voting Systems, the company that runs the internet voting system used by Bracebridge, Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Lake of Bays and Muskoka Lakes. Those five communities were among 51 across Ontario that experienced technical issues last night.
Dominion Voting Systems says slowdowns started just after 6:00pm. The company says it was tracked back to a Toronto-based internet colocation provider. That provider put what DVS calls an “unauthorized limit on incoming voting traffic that was roughly 1/10th of the system’s designated bandwidth.”
DVS says it didn’t know about the problem until the complaints started coming in. Although it had the issue fixed by 7:30pm, DVS says a number of voters had already been affected.
It regrets the problem and is assuring voters it will work to ensure it doesn’t happen in the future. The company says it’s also important to note that the system’s security was not compromised in any way.
Because of the delays, voting has been extended to 8:00pm tonight in Bracebridge, Huntsville, Gravenhurst, Lake of Bays and Muskoka Lakes.
Bracebridge’s Director of Corporate Services/Clerk Lori McDonald told the My Muskoka Now Newsroom the municipality was on the phone with Dominion all day yesterday and that the company was very quick to respond.
She says the decision to extend the voting period a full 24 hours was best to accommodate people who may not have been able to vote during the day. McDonald added she appreciates the frustration and inconvenience the issue caused voters but hopes they will still participate and get their votes in.