Science is under more pressure than ever to be seen as trustworthy. A key way to build trust is through transparent scientific association voting. This is accomplished by educating members about the process, creating transparent procedures, and using secure technologies.
Because of the power wielded by different associations, democratic voting in scientific associations is critical to maintaining public trust.
Members of associations need to understand who their leaders are and how they are elected. Many major scientific associations are governed by a board of directors. They also consist of various committees appointed by the board–committees responsible for public relations and specific areas of governance.
Most board seats are up for election on an annual or bi-annual basis. For these elections to be functional, information about how they work and the candidates on the ballot needs to be as accessible as possible. In order for the public and association members to trust the organization, they must have faith in the democratic process.
The first step to establishing trust is transparency in the voting process. Both the public and members of an association should have a clear look into the process at each step. This includes core components such as:
Many long-standing board members have earned their seats and are re-elected year after year. Regardless, voters should understand each member’s platform to see if it aligns with their own feelings on the subjects that matter most. Those with outdated views may find that the times have changed.
Candidates are nominated and then selected by a nomination committee. The committee should be composed of members who are neither current board members nor candidates themselves. This ensures impartiality in the selection process. These nominating committees are themselves often chosen by the board of directors.
Make members aware of the candidates who have been nominated. Allow each nominee to express their positions and explain how they align with the goals of the association. This can be done during meet and greets and webinars held before voting takes place.
Associations should also clearly establish the voting period. All members also need to be aware of the procedures regarding how and when the vote will be conducted.
Voting should take place through secure, yet accessible methods. In-person voting at annual conventions simply doesn’t cut it anymore. Moving voting online vastly increases voter turnout in scientific associations. When conducting an election online, it is important to give voters time to participate. In some cases, a few weeks may even be appropriate.
Members should receive secure, anonymous ballots to maximize confidentiality. Once ballots are submitted, voters should receive confirmation of how their vote was recorded. Digital receipts help with certification and auditing.
Vote counting should be done in the presence of the election committee as well as third-party auditors who can testify to the integrity of the election. Once the votes have been tallied, winners should be announced along with the vote totals for each candidate.
New board and committee members may then take their appointed seats at the dates prescribed in the bylaws.
The importance of elections in scientific organizations cannot be understated. Regardless of where one's opinion falls on scientific topics, the fact remains that large amounts of donated money are needed to fund research of all kinds. The boards that are elected by these associations often have heavy influence in deciding what subjects take precedence. The right combination of board members can propel critical issues to the top.
To better enhance the voting process, ElectionBuddy has developed a secure and transparent online voting platform. We have features for organizations of all sizes and can scale solutions to the size of your organization.
Our platform offers auditable votes with anonymous voting to ensure members feel their voices are heard, and facilitates mail votes and other forms of paper votes for organizations that require them!
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