Indigenous Experiences with Online Vong · BC Talthan First Nation 2011, 2014, 2015 Agreement Vote...

Indigenous Experiences with Online Vo6ng

ChelseaGabel,McMasterUniversity

CRC,IndigenousWell-being,Community-engagementandInnova=onDirector,McMasterIndigenousResearchIns=tute

NicoleGoodman,BrockUniversityDirector,Centrefore-Democracy

EVOTE-IDAnnualMee=ng,Bregenz,Austria,October2-5,2018

2 digitalimpacOn.com

Current Situa6on •  Indigenous communities

•  80+ First Nations and other Indigenous communities

• Municipal level •  200+ binding municipal elections (Ontario & Nova Scotia)

•  194/414 in 2018; a majority going paperless

• Other levels •  Provincial agencies •  National debate


Historical Context


Research Questions & Background


Gaps in Knowledge and Literature

•  Indigenous communities face a number of interrelated challenges •  i.e. local governance and community engagement: colonization, the residential school system, the Indian Act.

• Lack of insight into the strategies and innovations Indigenous communities are taking to increase governance capacity.

• Small but growing literature that explores ICT use in Indigenous communities.

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Research Ques6ons

1.  Who votes online and why?

2.  What impacts does online voting have on participation in Indigenous elections and votes?

3.  What good practices can be taken away from Indigenous experiences with online voting?


Governance Structures of First Na6ons Elec6ons in Canada

Legislative framework Number of nations

Indian Act election system

174

First Nations Elections Act

51

Custom election codes 353

Self-government agreements

40


PROVINCE COMMUNITY YEAR TYPE OF VOTE TOPIC

ON Whitefish River First Nation 2015 Referendum MRP Law

ON Nipissing First Nation 2014 Referendum Constitution

ON Shawanaga First Nation 2015 Agreement Vote Land Code

ON Mississauga First Nation 2014 & 2015 Election/Referendum FNEA/Constitution

ON Batchewana First Nation 2015 Referendum MRP Law

BC Talthan First Nation 2011, 2014, 2015 Agreement Vote (x2)/Election/Referendum

Transmission Line IBA/Council Election/ Management Agreement

BC Huu-ay-aht First Nation 2012 General Assembly General Assembly

BC Squamish First Nation 2013 Referendum Membership Agreement

BC Ucluelet First Nation 2015 Election Election

BC Shxwowhamel First Nation 2015 Ratification Vote Mutual Benefits Agreement

BC Uchucklesaht First Nation 2015 Election Election


Research Approach & Methods


Our Approach

Community-Based Participatory Research Approach: •  Collaboration

•  Community Participation

•  Building Capacity


Research Methods

•  Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) methodology that included:

•  Surveys via AskingCanadians platform

•  Wasauksing First Nation •  Paper voters, N=66 (66%) •  Online voters, N=15 (20%)

•  Whitefish River First Nation •  Paper voters, N=123 (81%)

•  Tsuut’ina Nation •  Online voters N=137 (90%)

•  28 semi-structured interviews •  One focus group in Tsuut’ina Nation


Findings


Sa6sfac6on and willingness to use online vo6ng

• Broad support for online voting

• High satisfaction with online voting •  Tsuut’ina Nation 91 percent satisfied •  Wasauksing First Nation 100 percent satisfied

• Paper voters also supportive • Concerns

•  Lack of access to computers/ internet •  Security is secondary •  Digital access key priority


• Older, educated, higher income and more likely to live off-reserve

Who votes online?

Socio-demographiccharacteris1c

Internetvoter Paperballotvoter

Age 48years 44years

Educa=on Completedtechnical,communitycollege

Sometechnical,communitycollege

Annualhouseholdincome $60,000-$79,000 $40,000-$49,000

Maritalstatus Married Married

Onoroffreserve Offreserve Onreserve

Vo=nghistory Frequent Veryfrequent


Who votes online and why?

• Access and convenience top reasons for use

• Remote voting clearly desired •  60 percent in Wasauksing and 79 percent in Metlakatla •  Large off-reserve populations

•  Wasauksing 66 percent •  Metlakatla 89 percent of membership

• Necessary for engaging off-reserve populations •  Wasauksing Land Code – 30 percent online •  Metlakatla Land Code – 48 percent online

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Poten6al for engagement

• Some respondents wouldn’t have voted otherwise •  Tsuut’ina Nation 9 percent ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ would not have •  Wasauksing First Nation 13 percent

• Voting histories less consistent than paper voters

• Paper voters prefer to vote online if they could not attend a poll in person

•  Tsuut’ina Nation 70 percent would vote by internet •  Wasauksing First Nation 49 percent


Good prac6ces: Four categories

1.  Knowledge of the community, engagement, outreach and communication

•  Understanding the community, community consultation, digital skill building 2.  Building tools and strategy

•  Voters’ lists, email databases, iterative approach 3.  Clear processes and resources

•  Clear responsibilities, vendor role, boosting technical knowledge 4.  A focus on technology

•  Security, access


Conclusions and Implica6ons

• Online voting is an important tool to engage off reserve citizens and pass legislation

• Citizens are supportive of the policy change • A tool of convenience • Not for attracting young people • Could increase participation of some infrequent voters • Digital access and literacy the biggest challenge to implementation and

uptake • Good practices crucial to ensuring success of deployment


Questions?

Indigenous Experiences with Online Vong · BC Talthan First Nation 2011, 2014, 2015 Agreement Vote...

Documents

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