Success Story: Alabama Ag Credit

Summary

For years, Alabama Ag Credit conducted nominations through word-of-mouth and email while managing elections with a local printer. While this familiar approach met foundational needs, leadership saw an opportunity to enhance transparency, accessibility, and efficiency—all while continuing to meet strict FCA compliance standards. Recognizing the need for a structured and secure election process, they partnered with Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) to support that vision.

Since then, Alabama Ag Credit has modernized its election process by introducing online voting and a digital applications portal for nominations and scholarships.  These enhancements have made participation more convenient and engaging, while reinforcing member trust through improved security and transparency.

About

Alabama Ag Credit is a Farm Credit Association dedicated to supporting agricultural and rural communities, serving the lower 40 counties of Alabama. The organization prioritizes transparency, accessibility, and regulatory compliance in its governance – ensuring fair and democratic elections for its members.

 

The Challenge

While Alabama Ag Credit’s legacy processes were serviceable, growth and evolving technology created new demands. Leadership proactively identified areas to improve both the member experience and internal efficiencies, while preserving compliance and impartiality.

1. Ensuring Impartiality & Compliance: As digital solutions became more prevalent post-pandemic, Alabama Ag Credit sought to modernize election access and data management. They required a process that was member-friendly, confidential, and fully aligned with FCA regulations.
2. Streamlining Application Management: The previous application process was more manual, requiring significant administrative effort. With multiple scholarships and a candidate nominations process to oversee, Alabama Ag Credit sought a solution to efficiently manage all applications on a single platform.
3. Addressing Mail Delivery Concerns: Relying solely on mail-in ballots presented risks of delays, which could impact participation and the timely reporting of results.
4. Adopting Digital Tools for Accessibility: Leadership saw an opportunity to expand election accessibility by introducing online voting and digital nominations but needed a reliable and secure solution.

 

The Solution

To address these challenges, Alabama Ag Credit partnered with SBS, leveraging our Fully Managed Election Services to implement a structured and impartial voting process. Key improvements included:

• Nomination & Scholarship Software: By utilizing our comprehensive application software, Alabama Ag Credit transitioned to a completely digital, streamlined process for both nominations and scholarships. This centralized platform enhances organization and efficiency, providing a seamless experience for both administrators and applicants.
• Online & Hybrid Voting: Enhancing accessibility with digital voting options while maintaining traditional mail-in ballots.
• Robust Security & Compliance Support: Ensuring elections met FCA requirements with SBS’ industry-leading security and data integrity measures.

 

Results & Benefits

Strengthened Election Integrity & Security

By using an independent election provider, Alabama Ag Credit ensures a transparent and unbiased process, giving members confidence in the integrity of their elections.

 

Improved Voter Accessibility & Participation

The introduction of online voting and QR codes for ballot access has provided members with more convenient ways to vote, particularly benefiting younger demographics who prefer digital options.

 

Increased Administrative Efficiency

With SBS managing election logistics, Alabama Ag Credit has streamlined operations, reducing the burden on internal teams while ensuring an organized and structured process. Additionally, our application software has transformed their application management by digitizing and centralizing both nomination and scholarship processes into a single, easy-to-use platform:

• Automated & Simplified Applications – Candidates can submit information, upload documents, and track their progress through an intuitive online portal.
• Customizable Platform – Alabama Ag Credit controls application fields, required documents, word counts, and automated reminders, ensuring a standardized and efficient process.
• Seamless Petition & Signature Collection – Candidates can digitally gather petition signatures via email or upload paper forms for verification.
• Secure & Compliant – The platform meets SOC 2 security standards and undergoes independent audits to protect applicant data.
• Reduced Administrative Burden – A dedicated application portal eliminates the need for manual data handling, reducing project management time from roughly 10 hours per week to no more than 1 hour.

 

Consistent, Trusted Partnership

With five years of working with SBS, Alabama Ag Credit has benefited from consistent account management and a dedicated support team that fully understands their needs and compliance requirements.

Alabama Ag Credit’s success story highlights the power of modernization and partnership in creating secure, efficient, and accessible elections. If you’re ready to enhance your organization’s election process with a trusted partner, contact us today to learn how we can support your needs.