Success Story: Drive-Thru Voting with Palmetto Electric Cooperative

Summary

Palmetto Electric Cooperative had to find a safe way to conduct in-person voting during the pandemic, which led to the implementation of drive-thru voting. However, the traditional paper ballots used in this process were time-consuming and required significant effort, which prompted the need for an improved solution.

 

About

Palmetto Electric Cooperative is a not-for-profit electric distribution utility formed in 1940, serving customers in South Carolina. Their customers also being their owners, Palmetto members have a strong voice in the direction of the cooperative. Staying true to the 2^nd Cooperative Principle, Palmetto’s board of directors is composed of members who are elected by other members, and voting is an important piece to their continued growth and success. Today Palmetto services over 75,000 accounts in southern Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties.

 

The Challenge

In light of the pandemic, Palmetto was faced with the challenge of how to safely navigate in-person voting. During a time when practically nothing was being done in person South Carolina cooperatives were still required by law to conduct all voting in person; and drive-thru voting provided a safe solution to do so. However, the traditional paper ballots accompanying the drive-thru voting process were cumbersome and very time-consuming for cooperative staff. “Speed and efficiency of voting on an iPad in our drive-thru election was a concern,” said Mike Taylor, Vice-President Information Systems at Palmetto. “Another concern was getting the results quickly after the election ended so they could be reported during the business meeting that followed.” Between hand counting ballots and monitored parking- it was clear the drive-thru voting process had to be improved to cut down on time and labor.

The Solution

Palmetto sought a reliable partner to ensure their election was secure and efficient. After careful consideration, they selected Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) for their extensive experience in election management. Mike explained, “SBS fulfilled the role as a trusted independent partner by certifying quick election results and ensuring election integrity. This allowed us to focus on our members and the business meeting”. Working together, Palmetto and SBS designed a plan incorporating SBS’ cutting-edge technology solution, DirectVote. DirectVote is an “All-In-One” solution, with no limits on the number of voters or voting options per election. The solution enabled Palmetto to retain in-person voting while also introducing a web-based tablet option, streamlining the process and making it more accessible to voters. By leveraging DirectVote, Palmetto achieved greater accuracy and security in their election while ensuring they remained hands-off to protect election integrity. At the drive-thru annual meeting, members were able to submit their vote digitally. To register, voters would scan a QR code that assigned and verified their ballot sequence number. Then, they were provided a tablet to electronically cast their votes from the comfort of their own vehicles.

 

Results & Benefits

It’s paramount for Palmetto to uphold their democratic principles- guaranteeing fairness, accountability, inclusiveness and empowerment within their organization. It’s not enough to simply have democratic control if participation is limited or exclusive. Similarly, it’s not enough to participate easily if the democratic process is compromised or biased. The addition of web-based tablet voting allowed Palmetto to ensure its members could contribute to the democratic process without significant barriers or obstacles. With SBS running the election results, Palmetto no longer has to hand-count their ballots, reducing the risk of errors or the perception of partiality. This means all members can continue to trust election results, further protecting the election’s integrity.

Giving their members the option to vote electronically greatly improved the ease and convenience of the drive-thru voting process. Not only do web ballots reduce the time and effort it takes for Palmetto members to vote, but cuts down on their admin efforts and cost as well.