Unsure how to be ready for your upcoming election with AssociationVoting? We know online voting is a new concept for some organizations, as many are used to voting in person using paper ballot methods. If you’re worried that you aren’t prepared for your election, don’t worry! AssociationVoting has your back. Here are a few things to ensure you have completed prior to your election for a successful voting experience.
5 Business Days Prior to Election
A minimum of 5 business days prior to your organization’s election launch, there are a few documents and other pieces of information that AssociationVoting needs to ensure your election site launches on time.
- Questionnaire – fill out a short questionnaire and return it to AV so we can setup your election site properly. The information we need to get started includes:
- Election site acronym
- For example, American College of Emergency Physicians would enter ACEP
- Voter credentials for login
- Choose 2 credentials from a list of options that users will use to log in to the election
- Indicate which credential is unique to the voter to ensure each member is not included multiple times
- Indicate election start date, time, and time zone
- Provide election end date, time, and time zone
- Provide group weighting details
- Some elections utilize individual weights. For example, in a timeshare, individuals who own 3 weeks will have their votes worth a weight of 3, but individuals who only own 1 week of a timeshare will have votes count as 1.
- Other elections use group weights, where voting weight depends on the region or type of voter. For example, in an election for a university, students may be worth 1/2 a vote, alumni are worth 1 vote, and faculty are worth 3 votes.
- Essentially, weights are a multiplier of votes. This way, certain voters can have more of a say in election outcomes while still only having to vote once.
- Specify branding and color scheme information
- Note any election/ballot rules that must be upheld
- This includes rules such as select up to 2, write ins are allowed, etc.
- Election site acronym
- Data & Files
- Submit a logo file for inclusion on the Voting Site
- Voter list
- Slate/Ballot instructions
- Slate/Ballot
- Candidate bios (optional)
- Candidate photos/headshots (optional)
- Bylaw/Proposition changes
- Proxy language and Assignment rules (only if using Proxy service)
Once all of these items have been sent to AssociationVoting, we will begin setting up your Election Site! If your organization does not have time to get all of this information to us 5 business days prior to your election launch, no worries! An additional $150 expedited setup fee is in place to put a rush on the election setup if needed. However, this does not mean your organization is guaranteed to receive an Election Site in time for the launch.
2 Business Days Prior to Election
Two days prior to the launch of your election, your Election Site will be provided to you for your review and testing. Voting Managers will receive an email equipped with a User Guide. With testing instructions, testing can be easily completed in three steps!
- Turn test more on
- Practice voting to visualize the process & call out any changes that need to be made
- Turn test mode off to clear out voters prior to the actual launch of your election
After testing, send any changes that need to be made to your Election Site to AssociationVoting, and we will handle it from there!
1 Business Day Prior to Election
The day before your election, Voting Managers send any necessary changes or updates to support@associationvoting.com. AssociationVoting’s Customer Support team will notify you once your requested changes are made. AV’s Support team will assist with changes and updates to the initial set-up, but Voting Managers have the capability to make any additional changes within the Voting Manager portal on their own if needed.
By following this timeline and ensuring all of your required information is submitted on time, your election is sure to be successful! AssociationVoting’s Customer Support team is here to assist you along the way. Whether it’s your first election with AV or your fifth, we’ve got your back. For more details on pre-election requirements, check out this help article. Send any questions you may have to support@associationvoting.com and we will be happy to assist you.