Brought to you by McGill-Queen’s University Press
Join us for another exclusive AMCTO members-only affinity partner webinar where we’ll be discussing a must-read for municipal professionals – Voting Online: Technology and Democracy in Municipal Elections – from McGill-Queen’s University Press. Authors Nicole Goodman, Helen Hayes, R. Michael McGregor, Scott Pruysers and Zachary Spicer will be online to discuss key research findings presented in the book, and will share some of their latest insights around trends in online voting and what’s next for the 2026 municipal elections and beyond. Plus, all members who attend the webinar will receive an additional exclusive offer on the book.
Moderator
Andrea Coyne
Manager of Elections, Town of Oakville
Andrea is the Manager of Elections with the Town of Oakville where she oversees corporate policy and accessibility. Her research is centered on legislative reform and enhancing civic engagement in local elections. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western and a Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law from York University.
Speakers
Nicole Goodman
Associate Professor, Brock University
Nicole is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Brock University. Dr. Goodman’s recent research focuses on the effects of digital technology on Canadian political institutions and actors, with an emphasis on political behaviour and public policy. She also studies political participation, public policy, Indigenous politics, and local government. Dr. Goodman recently led a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) funded study of the 2014 Ontario municipal elections to assess the effects of internet voting on voters and election administration in 47 municipalities. She is currently part of two multi-year SSHRC-funded research projects that are based on extensive industry, government, and community partnerships to understand the impact of digital technology on Canadian cities and Indigenous communities. Findings from her recent research have been presented in testimony to the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly (Ontario) and the Special Committee on Electoral Reform and have been featured in The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Toronto Star, CBC, and on TVO as well as other outlets.
Helen A. Hayes
PhD Candidate, McGill University
Helen is a PhD candidate in the Department of Art History and Communication Studies at McGill University. Informed by science and technology studies, infrastructure studies, and environmental humanities, her research examines the material histories of oil media, emphasizing how artificial intelligence and other information technologies are used in oil prospecting, extraction, refining, and transport in Canada. This research is supported by both FRQSC and SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship Awards. Prior to pursuing her doctoral degree, Helen completed an Honours Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree in Communication Studies at McGill University. As a Policy Fellow at the Centre for Media, Technology, and Democracy, Helen researches platform governance and international tech policy.
R. Michael McGregor
Associate Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. McGregor is an associate professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. In addition to holding a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario (UWO), he holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Political Science from the University of Waterloo and a BSc (Eng.) in Biological Engineering from the University of Guelph. Prior to joining Toronto Metropolitan University in July 2016, Dr. McGregor was an Assistant Professor at Bishop's University (Sherbrooke).
Scott Pruysers
Associate Professor, Dalhousie University
Scott is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Dalhousie University. Before joining Dalhousie, he held a postdoctoral fellowship at Ryerson University as a member of the Canadian Municipal Election Study (CMES) and completed a SSHRC postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Calgary. He is also an Adjunct Research Professor at Carleton University and has degrees from Carleton (PhD) and the University of Waterloo (MA and BA). His research focuses on Canadian politics broadly and, more specifically, intra-party democracy, party organization, and political psychology. He has written on a variety of topics including multi-level party integration, party personnel selection, personality and politics, candidate recruitment, and political ambition. His research has appeared in a variety of leading national and international journals such as Party Politics, Political Research Quarterly, Canadian Journal of Political Science, Representation, Regional & Federal Studies, and Politics & Gender.
Zachary Spicer
Associate Professor, York University
Zachary is an associate professor in the School of Public Policy and Administration at York University. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Western University and began his career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Brock University after completing post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Toronto’s Institute of Municipal Finance and Governance and the Laurier Institute for the Study of Public Opinion and Policy at Wilfrid Laurier University. He has also served as a Senior Policy Advisor with the Ontario Public Service and as the Director of Research and Outreach with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. He is the recipient of both the Susan Clarke Young Scholars’ Award and the Norton Long Young Scholars’ Award from the Urban Politics Section of the American Political Science Association.