The Executive Policy Committee meeting on September 21, 2020 marked the first time votes were cast via our new electronic Vote Information System (VIS).
When a vote is called, committee members will be prompted to enter a decision on their computer screens. Results are sent to the meeting chair, and registered within the VIS database. Vote record data will be available on the Open Data Portal once meeting minutes have been finalized and published on the Decision Making Information System (DMIS).
“The Vote Information System, together with the Decision Making Information System and Open Data Portal, will serve as an important tool for promoting transparent governance at the City of Winnipeg,” said Glen Cottick, the City’s Acting Chief Innovation Officer.
“There is no data more valuable to residents than the decisions being made each and every day by the elected officials who represent them.”
The addition of electronic voting data is the latest improvement to DMIS. Other changes include live streaming of all meetings, and enabling remote access so residents can safely participate in the decision making process during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Part of the City Clerk’s Department’s mandate is to leverage information technology to find efficient and cost-effective ways to allow public access to the work of City Council and its committees,” said Marc Lemoine, City Clerk. “We are pleased to be able to enhance this level of access with the introduction of the Vote Information System.”
The VIS will initially only be used for EPC meetings. Expansion of the system to other committee meetings will be determined at a later date.