Elections and E-Voting: Legal Issues and How to Do It CEOs Under $2M SIG Meeting

E-Voting for Cooperative Elections

Your Hosts:

Tim Madsen Marketing Manager SBS

Ryan O’Connor Cooperative Account Manager SBS

Helping associations like yours…

•Third-party elections & voting systems since 1990

•Helping co-ops of all sizes manage voting (50 US co-ops)

•Efficient elections, improving participation, increasing transparency

SBS: Who We Are…

Part One: The Benefits of E-Voting

Encourages Participation

•Can increase election response rates

•Encourages younger members to participate

•“Go green”

Transparency

•Members observe the voting process first-hand

•Encourages “1 member, 1 vote”

•Defense against costly lawsuits & speculation

Image: www.coachingcommons.org

Accuracy, Reporting & Additional Features

•No rejected or invalid votes

•Results are automatic

•Guaranteed accuracy

•Real-time reporting

•Additional election features

Part Two: Setting Up E-Voting for Your Cooperative

Overview of E-Voting

Election Development

•Define elements and specifications of e-voting process

•Offices or bylaws up for vote

•Member awareness

•Open and close dates of the election

•Outline voter experience

Image: http://www.emazedesign.com/content_management_system.html

Member Database

•Making your member database your voter database

•Check for duplicates

•Verifying member email addresses

•Only eligible voters in database

•Create election username & passwords

Image: http://www.hhcminc.org/content.aspx?id=85

Election Invitations

Voting Website

•Two goals: Streamline & Secure

•Make it intuitive

•Include only relevant election information

•508 compliant

•Provide voter support

•Think about additional features

Secure Voting Transactions

Unique voter login IDs & passwords

128-256 bit SSL encryption

Modern web framework

SSAE16 (SAS70) audit & certification

Secure enterprise datacenter

Quality control procedures

https:// vs. http://

E-Voting Results & Reporting

•Provides the decisions and leaders for your cooperative

•Produce certified results

•Additional reporting for future decisions

Image: http://www.cdc.gov/metrics/campaigns/index.html

E-Voting Demonstration

https://www.directvote.net/Directvote75/login.aspx?ReturnUrl

=%2fdirectvote75%2fdefault.aspx

Part Three: E-Voting Considerations

Bylaw & Legal Issues

•Check your state statutes

•Check your bylaws

•Check with legal counsel

Image source: http://emporis.ind.in

E-Voting & Your Current Process

•E-Voting not a “silver bullet”

•Form a strategy

•A hybrid solution

Budget Considerations

•Vendor vs. in-house

•Web only or hybrid

•Self-administered vs. 3rd party managed

•Complexity

•Membership size

Image source: http://www.villapark.org/budget.htm

Common Misconceptions About E-Voting

1. “E-Voting will change the face of our board”

2. “E-Voting will ruin our annual meeting”

3. “We’ve never had a problem…we will be fine”

E-Voting Best Practices

•Build an election process for YOUR members

•Create an intuitive e-voting process

•Make security a top priority

•Establish an awareness campaign & promotions

Part Four: E-Voting Success Stories

Dakota Electric Association - MN

Image Source: mnbrighterideas.com/

•One of the largest electric cooperatives in Minnesota

•High number of members interacting via Internet

•Offer an additional voting method

•Needed to change state statute

•Increased traffic, participation, and understanding

Rio Grande Electric Cooperative – TX

•Large land area in SW Texas

•Time-intensive election process

•Streamline election

•Enhance transparency

•Increased traffic, participation, and understanding

•http://www.surveyandballotsystems.com

Online Voting Demos

Online voting systems & software:

• Demos

• Presentations

• Board meetings

Ryan O’Connor contact info:

1. Telephone (612) 601-5099

2. Email: roconnor@surveyandballotsystems.com

Q&A and Further Resources

http://www.surveyandballotsystems.com/