Online Voting in Multilingual Settings

Online voting means accessibility. Often, one of the most important parts of this is eliminating the hassle of traveling to a physical location, but it can mean other things, too. Online voting in multilingual settings can help voters by providing notices, instructions, and ballots in multiple languages, helping reduce confusion and increase participation among diverse memberships.

There are many benefits to online election services, especially once members learn how to vote online with a smartphone. Not least of these benefits is language accessibility.

Why Language Access Matters

Financial institutions with an international presence, small-scale unions with a multicultural membership, a religious organization with a diverse congregation–all of these groups have to work to unify their constituents and ensure they all have equal opportunity to be heard.

Language barriers not only have to be addressed, they have to be planned for. One of the key parts of all organizations is member participation. 

Every extra hurdle in which a member has to translate something themselves or feels isolated by not having the organization’s materials printed in their native language makes that member less likely to participate. Creating a truly multilingual experience is necessary for getting members to buy in, believe that the organization values them, and trust the outcome of elections.

Challenges in Multilingual Elections

Whether it’s a full-managed or self-managed election, holding a vote can be a lot of work. Adding a second language brings its own host of potential complications. Here are some organizations should be sure to pay attention to and plan for:

Election Prep

Voters of all languages need to be informed and comfortable from the beginning to the end of the election, including notification of the election and explanation of the voting process.

Ballot Translation

It’s important that translations are accurate, as the language of what is being voted on needs to not only be clear to all voters, but identical in all its forms.

Technical Issues

There can be issues with translations on some platforms where interfaces load incorrectly or the layout becomes unusable when the page is translated.

Best Practices

To head off these potential issues, organizations holding online multilingual elections can take a few precautions:

• Work with professional translators
• Ask members to indicate their preferred language as soon as they join
• Use a platform that supports multilingual ballots
• Test the software before the election
• Have bilingual staff or volunteers on hand during voting

Platform for Success

Organizations that serve diverse communities have more on their plates when it comes to elections. Online voting can make elections easier and more accessible, but it has to be done right. ElectionBuddy offers support for multilingual ballots and can make sure that elections are inclusive, accessible, and secure from beginning to end.