Council Electronic Voting Systems: How Do They Work?

The integration of technology in local government is reshaping the way councils conduct their business. One significant advancement is the adoption of electronic voting systems for council meetings.

Electronic voting systems boost efficiency and improve public experience by simplifying the voting process and making it easy for everyone to follow along. Here is an overview of how council electronic voting systems work and the advantages they bring.

How Council Electronic Voting Systems Work

Modern council electronic voting systems are digital tools that streamline voting processes during council meetings, replacing verbal roll call and clicker voting. Here’s a concise look at how they function:

User Authentication: Council members are given unique logins to access the electronic voting system, ensuring only authorized participants can vote. With the OpenMeeting electronic voting system, each meeting member signs in through the secure OpenMeeting app.

Meeting Agenda: The meeting’s agenda, including voting items, is loaded onto the electronic system beforehand and accessible via council members’ devices, such as tablets or computers.

Casting Votes: When a vote is called, council members cast their votes electronically by selecting their choice on their device.

Real-time Results: The system instantly tallies votes and displays real-time results on a screen in the council chamber, allowing everyone to see how each member has voted.

Recording and Documentation: The system automatically records roll call, motions, seconds, and vote results, saving clerks time and energy.

The Benefits of Electronic Voting Systems for Councils

Efficiency: Electronic voting systems streamline the voting process because everyone is able to vote simultaneously through their tablets.

Better Public Experience & Perception: Meetings that are professional, smooth, and easy to follow build public trust. Electronic voting systems help you look better to the public and improve the meeting experience for everyone.

Honesty: With the OpenMeeting system, votes are private until tallied, removing the “group vote” phenomena and encouraging honest opinions from council members.

Transparency: Real-time results and recorded votes enhance transparency, enabling council members and the public to witness the decision-making process.

Administrative Time-Savings: Automated documentation reduces clerks’ workload.

Accessibility: Council members can access agendas and vote from their devices, enabling secure remote meeting particpation.