More than 20 local councils have expressed an interest in testing electronic voting and counting in next May's elections.

The government is planning to conduct more pilot studies for hi-tech solutions to low voter turnout in next year's elections.

Forum Response: Liverpool City Council

A spokesman for Liverpool City Council told ePolitix.com: "We are not taking part because we already took part in the first programme of trials. We reported our conclusions to the Electoral Commission who in turn informed the government of our views."

Forum Response: The Disabilities Trust

A spokesman for the Disabilities Trust told ePolitix.com: "Access to the democratic process (and in particular voting) is a basic civil liberty that all of us take for granted. However it is not as easy for one group of people within our society to take a full and active part in this process, people with disabilities. They are still prevented from doing so by the continuing barriers present in the electoral process.

"Information technology is of particular importance to disabled people as an essential tool of empowerment enabling them to gain information and access services that might otherwise be beyond them.

"However it is important to recognise that better physical access to polling stations (for example improved wheelchair access) is just as crucial to disabled voters as easier telephone or internet voting, as like all of us they will want to use their franchise in the way that best suits them."