What Can QR Codes Do for Elections?


QR codes can significantly improve several aspects of your election, from voter participation to ballot security. When you partner with SBS, you can easily incorporate QR codes on a variety of personalized election materials, including the following:

  • Postcards
  • Fliers
  • Posters
  • Envelopes
  • Mail-in ballots
  • Voter information sheets


These two-dimensional barcodes direct individuals right to your voting webpage. Voters simply need to scan the code with their mobile device to gain instant access to their ballot. You can also link to helpful information about candidates, voter registration forms, or ballots.

The Benefits of Using QR Codes for Elections


Utilizing QR codes in your election process enables your organization and members to experience benefits such as:

Greater convenience: Many individuals have smartphones and mobile devices capable of quickly scanning QR codes, making QR codes a convenient addition to your election materials.

Increased participation: You can maximize voter turnout by offering quick and easy voting options that appeal to your members. QR codes invite them to take action immediately.

Improved election speed: QR codes help simplify and speed up your election by reducing the workload for administrative staff, streamlining login processes for your voters, and allowing voters to submit their ballots instantly.

Enhanced experiences: You can generate better experiences for your members and your team with convenient QR codes that save time and energy.

Reduced errors: With a clear QR code, your organization can reduce errors due to misread handwriting, forgotten passwords, or incorrect URLs.

Tighter security: QR codes can promote security by helping you streamline voter registration and control access to your polls and elections.

Better perceptions: Improving accessibility to voting and essential information can positively influence how members perceive your organization.

Testimonials

"SBS was incredibly professional, and highlighted exactly how real-time voting could work for our situation. Real-time voting enables our Board of Directors to cast their votes in a matter of seconds, with results instantly tabulated, as well as being able to adjust rounds of voting on the fly with runoffs. After the vote, our board couldn't believe - this is an incredible improvement, we should've done this years ago."

- Adam Brooks, Association of Professional Flight Attendants

Find The Right Voting Solution For Your Organization

Real-Time Voting

BEST FOR:

  • Industry Associations
  • HOA & POA
  • Clubs
  • Churches and Religious Groups
  • Fraternities and Sororities
  • Educational Institutions

Why: Live voting, quorum tracking, and instant results are most valuable in formal meetings and governance-heavy environments.

Fully Managed

BEST FOR:

  • Associations
  • Cooperatives
  • Credit Unions
  • Farm Credit Associations
  • Mutual Insurance Companies
  • Pension Funds
  • Unions

Why: These groups often have higher complexity, higher stakes, or regulatory sensitivity and benefit from white-glove support.

Online Voting Tools

BEST FOR:

Why:These are your most flexible, scalable solutions and work across every industry we serve.

Onsite Voting

BEST FOR:

  • Cooperatives
  • Farm Credit Associations 
  • Nonprofits
  • Unions

Why: Especially well-suited for organizations whose bylaws or regulations require voting to take place in person or at a meeting.

Drive-Thru Voting

BEST FOR:

  • Cooperatives 
  • Unions

Why: Drive-thru voting allows organizations that require in-person voting to maintain compliance while offering the convenience of electronic ballots, faster participation, and quicker, more accurate results.

Paper Ballots

BEST FOR:

  • Cooperatives
  • Government
  • Mutual Insurance Companies
  • Unions
  • Nonprofits

Why: These groups often have voter populations that prefer or require traditional voting methods.

Hybrid Elections

BEST FOR:

  • Associations
  • Clubs
  • Cooperatives
  • Credit Unions
  • Unions

Why:  Hybrid elections balance accessibility and tradition - ideal for organizations with diverse member preferences.

Do-It-Yourself Elections

BEST FOR:

  • HOA & POA
  • Country Clubs
  • Sports Clubs and Leagues
  • Industry Associations
  • Unions

Why: Smaller teams or less complex elections benefit from speed, control, and lower cost.

Nominations

BEST FOR:

  • Associations
  • Cooperatives
  • Credit Unions
  • Unions

Why: Structured leadership pipelines and governance cycles make nominations especially important in these markets. All member-based organizations can benefit from digital nomination tools.

Petition Collection

BEST FOR:

  • Mutual Insurance Companies
  • Credit Unions
  • Pension Funds 
  • Cooperatives
  • Government
  • HOA & POA

Why: Petition workflows are common in rule changes, member initiatives, and labor-related processes.

Surveys

BEST FOR:

Why: Feedback, engagement, and benchmarking are universally relevant.

Tools for Boosting Election Turnout

At Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS), we’ll collaborate with you to discover your priorities and determine which of our solutions align with your election goals. We also offer several additional election services to reduce your administrative load, increase voter participation, and improve member satisfaction. Here are the services we offer:

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Election Analytics

Election analytics turn your data into actionable insights, helping you analyze member behavior and improve participation.

Explore Election Analytics Features
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One-Click Voting Links

Expand participation with one-click voting links. When you opt for this service, we’ll send one-click voting links to your voters’ emails that takes them directly to their ballot — no username or password setup needed.

Inside One-Click Voting Links
Icon of a square QR code, representing scannable codes for ballots and resources

QR Codes

Incorporating QR codes on election resources, like fliers, posters, and mail-in ballots, can direct members straight to your voting webpage or directly into their ballot.

Harness the Impact of QR Codes
Icon of a webpage with a login form, representing single sign-on access

Single Sign-On

Single sign-on (SSO) significantly simplifies online voting by allowing members to log in through your website’s member-only portal using their existing credentials. Once logged in, voters are directed to the election website and their ballot — no need for new usernames or passwords.

Simplify with Single Sign-On
Icon of a calendar with an envelope overlay, representing voting participation reminders

Voting Participation Reminders

SBS offers targeted voter reminders through postal mail, iCalendar alerts, automated texts, and email notifications. Ideal for member organizations with a diverse voter pool, these voting reminders are a proven way to increase participation in elections.

Enhance Voter Engagement

Frequently Asked Questions

Basics

What is QR code voting?

QR code voting uses scannable barcodes on physical election materials to provide instant access to a digital ballot. Each QR code is unique to the individual voter, ensuring they are directed to their specific ballot. Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) provides these personalized codes to help members transition seamlessly from physical mail to a secure online voting environment.

Why should an organization use QR codes for an election?

QR Codes simplify the process by removing the need for members to manually type long URLs or search for the voting site. We implement them to increase participation by making voting more convenient for smartphone users.

How do members use a QR code to vote?

A member simply opens their smartphone camera and scans the code found on their election materials. The voter is then either directly to their personalized ballot or to related election information.

Key Features

Where can these codes be printed?

QR codes can be incorporated into a variety of election resources, including posters, flyers, magazines, and traditional mail-in ballots. SBS uses these placements to ensure members have multiple "entry points" to the election.

Can QR codes be used for onsite or drive-thru elections?

Yes. QR codes are a highly effective tool for onsite voting and drive-thru events. SBS offers these to allow members to cast their ballots quickly and securely from their own devices while at a physical meeting location.

Do the codes require manual login credentials?

No. We can generate unique QR codes with embedded login information. When scanned, these codes take the member directly to their ballot without requiring them to remember a username or password.

Are these codes compatible with all mobile devices?

Yes. Any smartphone or tablet with a camera can scan these codes. We design the voting experience to be mobile-responsive, ensuring it works perfectly on whatever device the member chooses to use.

Security & Compliance

Is voting via a QR code secure?

Yes. Every QR code generated are unique to the individual voter. This ensures that only the intended recipient can access their ballot, maintaining the "one member, one vote" integrity of the election.

How is member data protected during the scan?

SBS utilizes advanced TLS encryption and is SOC 2 compliant. These protocols ensure that when a member scans a QR code, their data and login session remain private and protected from unauthorized access.

Enhance Your Next Election With Help From SBS


SBS offers fully managed election solutions that cater to your unique needs. We can help you create custom QR codes that allow your voters to securely access their ballots right from their mobile devices. Connect with our team today to learn more about our election solutions.

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