5.4.1.1. Electronic voting

In light of advancing technology, establishing processes for electronic voting within your club or branch may be something for consideration. This ensures that when the decision is made to adopt electronic voting, appropriate measures are in place to facilitate a seamless and secure voting process.

• Pre-meeting preparations:
  • Ensure that the electronic voting system is properly set up and tested in advance.
  • Clearly communicate to meeting participants the availability of electronic voting as an option, while recommending proxy voting as an alternative.
  • Provide detailed instructions on how to access and use the electronic voting platform.
• Authentication and eligibility:
  • Implement a secure authentication process to verify the identity and eligibility of participants. This may include unique login credentials or two-factor authentication.
  • Confirm that participants are eligible to vote according to the meeting’s rules, such as being registered members or authorized representatives.
• Voting process:
  • Introduce the voting agenda item and clearly state the motion or question to be voted upon.
  • Allocate a specific time frame during the meeting for participants to cast their votes electronically.
  • Open the electronic voting system and allow participants to submit their votes electronically within the designated timeframe.
• Transparency and visibility:
  • Ensure that the voting results are visible in real-time or immediately after the voting period ends.
  • Communicate the voting results to all participants, indicating the outcome and any relevant details, such as the number of votes cast and the breakdown of votes.
• Verification and record-keeping:
  • Maintain a detailed record of the electronic voting process, including the list of participants who voted electronically.
  • Safeguard the integrity of the voting data, ensuring it is securely stored and can be audited if necessary.
  • Clearly document the voting results, including any dissents or abstentions, in the meeting minutes or official records.

Avoid electronic fraud.

Electronic voting can be effectively incorporated into meetings while still recommending proxy voting as an alternative. This allows for flexibility while maintaining transparency, integrity, and the ability to make informed decisions collectively. However it does come with certain risk to the transparency of the voting.
Some key steps you can put in place to reduce electronic voting risk is: