BOLTON is blazing a trail in the North West by introducing a pilot scheme for electronic voting in next month's council elections. Voters in Bolton will be able to cast their vote on May 2 for who runs the town at the touch of a button as machines will replace the traditional cross on a ballot paper.

All 160 polling stations in the Borough will use the machines as part of an experimental pilot scheme. The total votes will be counted electronically giving a quicker result for each ward.

The Council was successful in bidding to run the scheme as an experiment to increase voter turnout. Funding for the electronic voting is coming direct from the Government.

Voters can also log on to the Bolton Council website - www.bolton.gov.uk - to find out more about the plans. On the site you will be guided through the new voting procedure and you can also answer questions about it via a feedback form.

On the run-up to the election date a series of roadshows will also be held throughout the borough to give voters a chance to try out the machines and ask questions. The paper-based system is not going entirely however because postal votes will still be available.

"The Government is keen for local authorities to pilot various electronic voting methods and we want to be at the head of any innovation," said Bernard Knight, Chief Executive of Bolton Council.

If you're reading this edition of Scene before April 24 and want a postal vote you need to hurry and get your application in. Phone 01204 331248 for more details.