Our system offers returning officers a Manage-Your-Own option with an online voting platform. If you are a Returning Officer for a by-election, or the upcoming mid-terms, here are some tips to help you manage your election.
1. SECURITY IS IMPORTANT
The school and the returning officer are responsible for the integrity of files.
Critical: only transfer files (for example, from the school database to your working platform for the Electoral Roll) in a manner that keeps data private.
More information about privacy and security is in the Returning Officer Reference Guide (available free to licensed officers).
2. PREPARE A CLEAN DATABASE FOR A SMOOTH ELECTION
It costs time and money if data is missing. ‘Cleaning’ a database involves removing errors. All databases have them, but the more you can do before uploading your database to the dashboard, the better.
Especially watch out for missing mobile phone details. Without them, you will have to send a postal vote - adding costs to your election. The phone number is your authentication tool.
3. RAISE PARTICIPATION THROUGH PERSISTENT COMMUNICATION
It’s surprising, but people will not even notice an election is happening unless you tell them – more than once.
Use multiple channels to publicise your election. This is not the returning officer’s job – your board / communications team should be active. Make sure that the newsletter has the election as a priority item. Use social media to publicise candidates and their statements.
4. ADVERTISE YOUR LINK
The link for the My School Election nomination form is: www.myschoolelection.nz/mynomination
5. PUBLISH THE ELECTORAL ROLL
Verification is when people can check that only people entitled to vote are on the roll. The electoral roll is a public document. Only use names. Order names alphabetically. Check for duplicates. Print and bind a hard copy roll for a professional look and make it available, as the regulations require, at the school office. Let people know that it is there.
6. SET YOUR NOMINATION DEADLINE AND RELAX
Make sure that your nominations closing date is correctly entered on the dashboard. Then sit back – all nominations will be automatically receipted.
7. USE COMMUNICATIONS TEMPLATES TO SIMPLIFY ELECTION MANAGEMENT
The regulations stipulate the information that must be included in communications. We've provided templates for you to use. Of course, reminders are simpler if they can happen at the touch of a button.
The dashboard automatically records when you message. This is the evidence you need when someone says "I didn't get this information".
8. TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Modern communications like emails arrive in inboxes at all hours of the day and night. Think about when people will be willing to click on a link to act on your message. For what it’s worth, the evidence seems to be that you should avoid Tuesday afternoons. People open messages in the morning, but click and action in the evenings.
Follow up messages with a note in your social media.
9. AVOID DOUBLE-VOTING
You must allow both electronic and postal ballots for parents. Our system prepares your postal ballot paper for you. Our postal ballots imprint a User Code on every voting paper.
You can arrange alternative access to online voting via the school or the local library if you wish. We can help you with this.
10. PREPARE BEAUTIFUL CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
Download the candidate statements into a Word document and format as you wish. Save as a pdf and share in the school newsletter and on the school’s usual social media platforms.
11. TROUBLESHOOTING
Voting electronically is often a new experience. Someone is bound to 'lose' a User Code or a password. We have a handy Troubleshooting table for our Returning Officers to use, and a Help Desk.
BONUS TIP: IF YOU ARE THE RETURNING OFFICER FOR AN INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL...
Contributing school databases must be combined to create the electoral roll. Watch out for duplicate caregivers.
Add a column to your database that identifies which school the caregiver is connected to so that you can check back with the original database if there is a problem.
For more detailed information please use our quick reference guide and information spreadsheets.