How to Vote Online With a Smartphone

Online voting was a revelation for many member-based organizations, improving access, speed, and efficiency of elections. Doing so with a smartphone can be even easier. To vote online with a smartphone, members usually receive a secure link that authenticates their identity, and they can submit their vote with ease.

The best online voting services offer the ability to conduct votes on smartphones, providing all the benefits of electronic elections in the palm of members’ hands.

The Essentials of Mobile Voting

The basics of mobile voting are often identical to those of electronic voting in general.

• First, voters are sent a secure link, either through email or SMS.
• The voter clicks the link and they are prompted to verify their identity. This is done with a unique login or an access key given by the organization.
• The voter completes the ballot. They may be asked to review it a final time before it is submitted.
• The vote is submitted and processed anonymously, and the voter is given a receipt confirming their vote’s submission and content.

One of the wonders of electronic voting is that every step is anonymous and secure, but is able to be audited by election officials if needed. This means it’s not only a simple but also a secure way for groups to vote on serious, complex issues. Religious organizations can even use electronic voting for approval of doctrinal changes or financial decisions.

The Benefits of Electronic Voting

Online voting offers a number of benefits that improve upon in-person paper ballots. These include:

Security

The best online voting platforms are end-to-end encrypted, meaning they are intensely secure against tampering.

Speed

Electronic voting allows organizations to get results quickly (and without the risk of human error).

Accessibility

Going to a physical location in order to cast a ballot can be a burden on voters. Moving elections into the digital realm takes away those hurdles. Accessibility can also be relevant when it comes to online voting in multilingual settings.

Time and Money

In-person elections can require renting space, printing ballots, and hiring election officials (or finding willing volunteers). Electronic voting saves organizations the time, effort, and money those things cost.

The Benefits of Voting by Smartphone

Electronic voting is a no-brainer, but why vote by smartphone? There are a number of reasons, such as:

Familiarity

Most members are likely to spend more time on their phones than their computers, meaning they’re likely to be more comfortable using their mobile device.

Immediacy

Mobile voting allows members to vote the moment they receive the link to do so.

Accessibility

Especially relevant for organizations with a dispersed membership, voting with a smartphone means voters can have their voice heard no matter where they are in the world and whether or not they have access to a computer.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

Online platforms like ElectionBuddy can help organizations of all sorts hold elections digitally, and even let members cast their votes using their smartphones. This means secure, effective, and accessible elections for everyone!