Dos and Don’ts of Planning Your Election [Video]

 

Successful elections require careful preparation and flawless execution — so how do you ensure your elections get the attention they deserve?

Hi, and welcome to the latest Survey & Ballot Systems video blog.

Inadequate planning can not only muddy the results of your elections, but it can also reduce trust among your voters. To avoid common pitfalls with your upcoming election, we’ve put together a few key do’s and don’ts to keep in mind.

Here’s what you should do:

Start by creating and sticking to a timeline for the election. Then, be sure to pay attention to member demographics, and use this information to decide the best voting methods. Make sure that every election is contested, with at least two candidates running, and consider setting term limits for all elected positions. It’s also advisable to implement limited or highly structured candidate campaigning.

Now for what you shouldn’t do:

Don’t cut corners, especially on security or other infrastructure. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as the saying goes. Do not allow board members or staff to determine the candidate pool or, worse, count ballots. Also, avoid unnecessary restrictions, such as requiring candidates to obtain hundreds of petition signatures, or only allowing members to vote in-person. Finally, don’t plunge the election process into chaos by accepting nominations on the floor or handing out preliminary results to candidates or board members.

For more background on what a successful election looks like, check out the “Election Success Stories” eBook under the Resources section of www.surveyandballotsystems.com.

Thanks for watching! We’ll see you next time.