New South Wales has put its iVote digital election system aside until it can be improved. 

Earlier this year, the NSW Electoral Commission said it would temporarily shelve iVote for state and local government by-elections while it undertakes “extensive reconfigurations and testing”.

That announcement followed a series of significant glitches that prevented iVote users from casting votes during local government elections. The issue threw the results of at least three ballots into doubt, which will now need to be re-run. 

The NSWEC says a lack of funding means it cannot apply required fixes in time for the by-elections. 

It has now ruled out any use of iVote for the state general election in March 2023, and for any by-elections between July 2022 and March 2023.

“The short runway for configuring and testing a new version before March 2023 means the electoral commissioner cannot be confident an updated system... will be ready in time,” it said.

“The electoral commissioner has determined, therefore, not to use iVote at the March 25 [2023] election or at any intervening by-elections between July 1 2022 and March 25 2023.”

NSWEC denied that switching off iVote was “driven by any concerns about cyber security matters in previous elections”.

“The electoral commissioner is announcing his decision now so that all potential election participants are made aware as early as possible of the arrangements,” the commission added.