FEBRUARY UPDATE: Electronic voting will become the default setting for our 2022 packages for the triennial elections in September 2022.
Yes, parents/caregivers will still be able to choose to vote by post. But if a board chooses either our Manage-Your-Own or Full Service package, then electronic voting will be your new normal.
The Manage-Your-Own package is available for any Returning Officer to use.
Full Service is an all-inclusive package. There are no hidden extras.
Estimates for both packages can be calculated on our website from 1 March 2022. Use your 1 March roll figure to update your estimate.
How will the online election be different?
The Electoral Roll will be developed as usual. The Returning Officer uploads it to a management dashboard. S/he will provide you with a pdf copy that can go on your school website or in your school newsletter.
The Call for Nominations will go out by email. Nominations will be made online. (A hard copy form can be available at the school office). The Call can be supplemented by notices through your usual communication channels with parents.
Electronic voting is the default setting. However parents can choose, by request to the Returning Officer, to receive a postal ballot if they cannot access online services.
Once nominations close, all those on the electoral roll will be (emailed or texted) a unique code and password for access to the online voting platform. For those without electronic contact details, but who have not chosen postal, access codes can be provided on request.
Postal or hard copy votes will be tallied as usual and added to the electronic count.
The timeline will not change. Your Returning Officer’s Declaration of Result arrives as a pdf five days after the ballot closes for publishing in your newsletter. An email can go out to everyone too.
How does the voting platform work?
Every person on the electoral roll is issued a LINK and a code or password that is unique to them to provide access to the voting platform. The code and/or password is automatically generated.
Voters receive their access code or password by txt or email, depending on the way you currently connect with your school community. Once logged in, voters see the candidate statements first, in randomised order. They vote, and then confirm their vote.
Who you vote for is secret. Not even the returning officer will know.
How do you stop people voting twice?
The system separates postal voters and electronic voters. A person who chooses to receive postal voting papers cancels out their online vote.
Voters can check the electronic voting paper as often as they wish. But only ONE BALLOT is allowed. Once the vote is submitted, the voter is blocked from logging in and voting again.
Our postal voting papers are QR-coded to ensure one person – one vote.
Can scrutineers check the vote?
Yes. The Returning Officer may publish an audit table which identifies votes, but not voters. This is the same as an audit of actual voting papers in a postal vote.
What happens when voters lose their access code?
The Returning Officer can delete the original code (and any vote attached to it) and issue a new one.
If we use Manage Your Own, what support is available for our Returning Officer?
Free online seminars will be available in June and July. We have tested the platform and it is not difficult to use. There is a User Manual and a Help Desk will be available.