To ensure your election is truly representative and reflects the majority opinion of your association, maximizing member engagement and participation is key. However, many associations struggle to meet quorum due to low voter turnout, which can significantly hinder their ability to make decisions that benefit the entire organization. In today’s fast-paced world, this challenge is only amplified as members juggle demanding jobs, family responsibilities, and personal commitments.
Fortunately, there are powerful strategies to help boost involvement—and one of the most effective is embracing online voting, like AssociationVoting. As the digital landscape evolves, associations are increasingly turning to virtual solutions that allow members to cast their votes from mobile devices, laptops, or tablets. This convenience not only removes barriers to participation but also encourages broader engagement. In fact, a study on the 2018 federal election in West Virginia found that offering mobile voting increased turnout by three to five percentage points. While online voting offers a great opportunity to reach more members, the next step is ensuring that the experience is engaging enough to inspire strong, meaningful participation.
Personalize Your Voting Site & Ballots
To drive higher engagement and participation in your association’s next online election, start by personalizing the voting experience—beginning with the Welcome Page. This is the first thing voters see before accessing their ballot, and it sets the tone for the entire process. AssociationVoting’s Online Voting Software provides standard Welcome Page language, but Voting Admin have full control to customize it with their association’s branding, logos, and tailored instructions. Adding these personalized touches not only makes the experience feel more official and inviting but also helps build a stronger connection with your voters right from the start.
Once the Welcome Page is customized, take it a step further by tailoring the ballot itself. A well-designed, personalized ballot can create a sense of familiarity and engagement that encourages voters to participate more thoughtfully. Just like with the Welcome Page, AssociationVoting’s platform allows you to incorporate your association’s logo and branding colors for a cohesive, professional look. You can also enhance the ballot by uploading candidate biographies when applicable—giving voters easy access to relevant information right where they need it. These concise bios help voters feel informed and involved, ultimately leading to more meaningful participation and increased turnout. By creating a consistent and personalized experience from start to finish, your association can make voting feel more relevant, accessible, and impactful.
Election Announcement Emails
As your election start date approaches, it’s a great time to send out email announcements with all the key details voters need to participate. Clearly communicating the election’s start and end dates and times is essential to maximizing turnout. If you’re using an online voting platform, it’s also important to include clear login instructions for the voting portal—this helps voters feel confident and prepared, which in turn encourages greater engagement.
AssociationVoting’s Online Voting Software provides standard email templates to simplify this process, but Voting Admin can customize these messages with their association’s branding and tone to create a more familiar and engaging experience. To ensure your message is read in full, keep the email brief and to the point, placing essential information—especially login instructions—near the top for maximum visibility. These simple yet effective steps help boost voter participation and ensure your election reflects the voice of the broader membership.
Drip Campaigns & Reminder Emails
In addition to your initial election announcement emails, incorporating drip campaigns into your online voting strategy can significantly boost member engagement and participation. As defined by Forbes, drip campaigns are “a series of automated emails companies send to customers, subscribers, or prospective customers when a user makes a specific action.” In the context of elections, this means sending a sequence of targeted reminder emails throughout the voting period to encourage members to cast their ballots.
Rather than overwhelming voters with too much information at once, drip campaigns work best by delivering helpful, bite-sized messages over time—reinforcing the importance of voting and guiding members through the process. AssociationVoting’s Online Voting Software makes this easy with its Turnout-Booster Reminder Email package, which allows Voting Admin to automatically send reminders to members who haven’t yet voted. Elections that have used this feature have seen up to a 100% increase in voter turnout compared to previous elections without it.
As with other communication tools in AssociationVoting’s platform, the reminder emails come with standard templates that can be fully customized to reflect your association’s branding and voice—making your messages more familiar, engaging, and effective.
Marketing and Communications
Integrating election announcements into your association’s broader marketing and communication channels is essential for maximizing voter participation. A great place to start is your association’s website—since it’s a go-to resource for members, prominently displaying the election start and end dates and times ensures easy access to key information. You can also use your communications to direct members to their email inboxes for more detailed instructions, including how to log in and vote.
Beyond your website, consider promoting the election through your association’s newsletter and social media platforms. Sharing reminders across multiple channels increases visibility and keeps the election top of mind for members. The more places your voters encounter election details, the more likely they are to participate—ultimately leading to stronger turnout and a more representative election.
If your election requires members to vote during a scheduled meeting, it’s also essential to include the election on the meeting agenda. Doing so highlights the significance of the meeting and encourages greater member attendance. The more members who show up, the higher the participation—helping ensure the election results reflect the collective voice of your association.
Proxy Voting
If your association is unable to conduct elections online due to bylaws or state law restrictions, there are still effective ways to increase voter turnout. One powerful option is proxy voting, which allows members who can’t attend the meeting in person to still have their voices heard. As defined by Investopedia, proxy voting is “a ballot cast by a single person or firm on behalf of a corporation’s shareholder who may not be able to attend a shareholder meeting, or who may not choose to vote on a particular issue.” For example, timeshare holders commonly use proxy voting in their HOA/POA elections so that members not present at the meeting can still have their votes cast.
To support this need, AssociationVoting’s Online Voting Software offers a robust Proxy Voting Service designed to boost participation. The platform accommodates a variety of proxy formats—including limited (directed), general, and quorum count proxies—making it a flexible solution that can align with many associations’ unique governance requirements.
Whether your association is holding an election online or during a scheduled meeting, there are plenty of effective strategies to boost voter participation and ensure every member has the opportunity to make their voice heard. From customizing email communications and personalizing the online voting site and ballot, to maximizing visibility through your association’s website, newsletters, and social media, increasing engagement has never been more achievable. You can even take participation a step further by implementing a Proxy Voting Service, making it easier for members who can’t attend in person to still cast their vote.
With the tools available through AssociationVoting’s Online Voting Software—including personalization features, reminder campaigns, and proxy support—your association can significantly increase voter turnout and ensure the final results truly reflect the voice of your entire membership.