UPDATED: 8.22PM The Government has pulled the pin on a trial of online voting in this year's local body elections, saying it could not guarantee the security of the system in time.

Internal Affairs Minister Louise Upston announced the plan for some councils to trial online voting would not go ahead because time was running out for councils to prove voting system addressed concerns about security and vote integrity.

LISTEN ABOVE: Vice president of local government New Zealand Brendan Duffy talks to Larry Williams

"Due to timing restrictions, preparations for the proposed trial have not yet met the legislative requirements and cannot guarantee public confidence in the election results."

She said security testing was planned but had not yet taken place. "Without seeing the results of testing we cannot be confident the systems are secure enough and the trial could not be authorised."

Eight councils were interested in trialling online voting - Selwyn, Wellington, Porirua, Masterton, Rotorua, Matamata-Piako, Palmerston North and Whanganui.

Ms Upston said those councils which had signed up for the trial would be disappointed. However, the time pressures involved would increase the risks of any trial.

"Maintaining public confidence and understanding of local electoral processes is more important than trialling online voting this year."

Wellington deputy mayor, and mayoral candidate Justin Lester, believes online voting is the way of the future.

"It feels like a waste opportunity. Three years ago people were committed to trialling this. It's unfortunate it's taken this length of time, it's unfortunate it's come so late."

Mr Lester said we already do a lot of important things online.

"It's not rating as such but for the census we've got a process in place, and to the best of my knowledge, it worked pretty well, it worked very well, I don't think there were any issues with it."

The Government was open to looking a proposals for online voting in the future.

Local government New Zealand is remaining confident online voting will come into effect.

Vice-president Brendan Duffy told Larry Williams he doesn't think it's the end.

"I've got no doubt, having seen the amount of work that's gone in by the eight councils, the commitment of local government New Zealand and the commitment of the Government, I have no doubt that this will get across the line."

Mr Duffy said he understands the decision.

"Clearly security of voting is critical, and if we're not comfortable, we're best to put it on hold, and that's the decision that's been made."

However Mr Duffy has no doubt it will eventually get across the line.

IT expert Dave Lane told Larry Williams postponing it's a step in the right direction, but wants it to be canned entirely.

"It can't be done in a way that doesn't compromise voter integrity and vote integrity and potentially undermine the whole democratic process."

Mr Lane said if you can identify a threat you can protect against it.

"The problem is that any computing system can be vulnerable to threats you haven't anticipated as the developer."

Mr Lane said because of this it can't be determined whether a system has been the victim of a security vulnerability.

While local bodies are responsible for running their own elections, including deciding on a voting system and method, the Government has to decide whether new voting methods meet the requirements of the Local Electoral Act. All councils currently use postal voting.

The Government first agreed to allow councils to trial online voting in December 2014 after a working party found online voting was feasible. It set out requirements to councils for a trial in November last year.

That included full testing of the system, including testing to ensure votes could not be interfered with as well as an independent review. That work was to be done by June, but Ms Upston said it was clear that could not happen.