Many organizations turn to voting software as an attempt to increase turnout and confidence in the election process. Online voting software features can be powerful, as they make voting easier and reduce work for election administrators.
However, these benefits can diminish if voter bases are multilingual but the ballot is only in English. With automated translation tools not quite translating meaning and tone correctly, it’s important to understand how these tools function to get the most benefit from them. Multilingual voting software works like any other quality voting software, by using verified ballots that preserve consistent, auditable tabulation while providing voters the option to vote in additional languages.
An important fundamental of multilingual online voting is that there should be only one ballot. This means that the underlying structure and vocabulary of every ballot is identical. By ignoring this rule, organizations run the risk of major issues that could invalidate an election and more importantly, confuse voters when their voices matter the most..
Quality voting software works by election administrators first building the ballot in a base language. This ballot is then translated into each supported language one line at a time. From the title, to the instructions, to the questions, candidate names and biographies, results pages - every word and detail is important to a voter. Attempting to use multiple ballots that are produced independently of each other in different languages introduces the possibility that different voters see different information.
A system based on a single ballot structure ensures that:
For organizations with multilingual voting bases, this is a necessary part of designing user-friendly hybrid ballots.
| Feature | How It Works | Benefits for Elections |
| One Ballot, Multiple Languages | Build a single ballot in a base language and translate it consistently. | Ensures all voters see the same information; tabulation is uniform and auditable |
| Secure Translations | Verify accuracy of every ballot version; strip language metadata in tabulation. | Maintains anonymity, prevents errors, and avoids disputes |
| Voter Experience | Voters select a preferred language for instructions, measures, confirmations, and messages. | Voters can complete ballots confidently; increases participation and reduces support requests |
| Consistent Tabulation | All votes, regardless of language, feed into the same dataset. | Ensures accurate election results and prevents ballot inconsistencies |
| Administrative Efficiency | Multilingual ballots reduce the need for manual oversight and support. | Less work for administrators, smoother election process, and fewer errors |
Language flexibility can complicate election security, so it’s important that checks are put in place throughout the process. Administrators should verify that translations are accurate before voting begins.
This includes every version of the ballot and surrounding messages, such as error messages. To maintain anonymity, it’s also important to make sure language metadata is stripped in tabulation
Of course, the above is all the concern of election administrators. The voter experience should leave participants unaware of any aspect of translation or the logistics of underlying ballot structure.
Multilingual voting software should present voters with the option to select a supported language, then the entire process should be updated to that language. This includes:
While some components of the process may seem unimportant to an election, voters who are not immersed beginning to end in a language they understand are less likely to participate in the future. It also reduces the workload for election workers who might be asked directly for help if translations aren’t accurate or applied throughout.
When every part of the voting process is in a language the voter understands, it’s easier for them to navigate issues themselves using the system the way it’s intended.
The workload involved in expanding language options for elections is intensive, but these expansions are necessary for organizations that want their elections to be inclusive and representative.
This is why platforms like ElectionBuddy are so key. We offer secure online voting in multiple languages, improving access and trust in the process for every voter base!
ElectionBuddy allows you to set up as many test votes as you would like to ensure that your voter expectations are met with the voting process. ElectionBuddy offers a self guided tour when you set up your vote for the first time and ElectionBuddy's Success team is available for support 24 hours a day from Monday–Thursday, and 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM ET on Friday. They can assist with set up or configuration questions.
If you’re short on time and haven’t had the chance to test voting or just want to leave your next vote in the hands of confident experienced voting experts, have ElectionBuddy staff assist with the set up and management of your vote. To learn more, please fill out the following page: Talk to an Expert
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