Paper ballot forms have been used for generations. They are familiar, easy to understand and can work well for a small vote.

But once an organisation has hundreds or thousands of members, voters in different locations, several ballot questions, or a result that needs to be checked and reported quickly, paper voting can become difficult to manage.

That is where electronic ballot software can help.

An electronic ballot allows eligible voters to cast their vote using a computer, tablet or mobile phone rather than completing a physical ballot paper. Depending on the voting system and the rules applying to the organisation, an electronic ballot can be used for elections, member resolutions, committee votes, AGMs, surveys, ballots and other formal decisions.

The technology is useful, but the software is only one part of a proper voting process. The organisation still needs to get voter eligibility, voting rules, secrecy, accessibility, counting and record keeping right.

What is an electronic ballot?

An electronic ballot is a ballot that is completed and submitted electronically rather than on paper.

A voter may receive a secure voting link, login details or another method of accessing the ballot. After their eligibility is checked, they can view the questions or candidates, select their choices and submit their vote.

A well-designed electronic ballot system can then manage parts of the process such as:

The exact process depends on the type of ballot.

For example, a simple member poll may only require one vote per member. An AGM may involve several resolutions and proxy appointments. A strata vote may involve different voting weights or unit entitlements. A protected action ballot has its own legal requirements.

Electronic voting is therefore not simply a paper ballot placed on a website.

The voting rules need to be built into the process.

How does electronic ballot software work?

Most electronic ballots follow a similar process.

1. Build the voter roll

The organisation first identifies who is entitled to vote.

This could be:

Getting the voter list right is one of the most important parts of the process.

A technically secure voting system cannot fix an incorrect voter roll.

2. Set up the ballot

The administrator creates the ballot questions, candidates, resolutions or other voting items.

The ballot may also need rules such as:

The rules should be confirmed before the ballot opens.

3. Give voters secure access

Eligible voters are given a way to access the ballot.

This might involve a unique link, login, authentication code or another identity verification method.

The goal is to make sure the right person can vote while preventing someone else from using their voting entitlement.

For a secret ballot, the system must also be designed so that the voter’s identity cannot be linked back to their actual choices.

4. The voter completes the ballot

The voter sees the questions or candidates and records their choices.

A good electronic ballot should make the instructions clear.

It should also work properly on common devices, including mobile phones, because not every voter will be sitting at a desktop computer.

5. The system records the vote

Once the voter submits the ballot, the system records the vote according to the rules that were configured.

Depending on the ballot, the system may record that the person has voted while keeping the actual vote anonymous.

This separation is especially important for secret ballots.

6. Voting closes

At the nominated closing time, voting stops.

The administrator should not be changing voting rules or ballot questions after voting has started unless the governing rules and circumstances clearly allow it.

A controlled closing process helps protect the integrity of the result.

7. Votes are counted

Electronic systems can automatically count votes according to the configured voting method.

This can remove many manual counting tasks.

However, automatic counting does not mean the result should simply be accepted without checking. Organisations should still review the result and supporting records, particularly for important elections and resolutions.

8. Results and records are produced

A proper electronic ballot should produce useful records showing what happened during the ballot.

Depending on the system, this can include:

These records can be important if a result is later questioned.

Electronic ballot vs paper ballot

The biggest difference is not simply paper versus screen.

It is how much of the voting process is handled manually.

Neither method is automatically better.

The right choice depends on the organisation, the voting rules, the number of voters and the level of assurance required.

When does electronic voting make sense?

Electronic ballots are particularly useful when the voting process has one or more of the following characteristics.

A large number of voters

Counting 50 paper ballots is very different from counting 5,000.

As the number of voters increases, manual administration becomes more time-consuming and the opportunity for human error increases.

Electronic systems can reduce repetitive work around distribution, participation tracking and counting.

Voters are in different locations

A national association may have members across Australia.

A union may have employees working across multiple sites.

A company may have shareholders in different states or countries.

An electronic ballot can allow eligible voters to participate without travelling to one location.

The ballot has several questions

A paper ballot with one question is simple.

A ballot containing 20 resolutions, several candidates and different voting instructions is more difficult to manage manually.

Electronic ballot software can guide voters through the process and apply the appropriate ballot structure.

The organisation needs a secret ballot

Secret voting requires more than simply hiding the results.

The voting process needs to prevent unauthorised people from discovering how an individual voted.

This is one reason organisations should carefully examine how a voting platform separates voter authentication from the recorded vote.

Results are needed quickly

Paper ballots may need to be collected, checked, sorted and counted.

An electronic ballot can calculate the result as soon as voting closes, subject to the voting method and any required verification.

This can be particularly useful when an election or resolution needs to be declared shortly after voting closes.

There is a need for a clear audit trail

For an important election or member vote, the organisation may need to demonstrate how the ballot was conducted.

A good electronic system can provide records showing key events without exposing confidential individual votes.

That can make the result easier to explain if a member later raises a question.

When might paper voting still be appropriate?

Electronic voting is not automatically the right choice for every organisation.

Paper or postal voting may still be suitable when:

A hybrid approach can also work.

For example, an organisation could provide electronic voting for most members while making another voting method available where required.

The important point is that the chosen method must fit the governing rules and give eligible voters a fair opportunity to participate.

Is electronic voting legal in Australia?

There is no single Australian rule saying that every organisation can use electronic voting for every type of ballot.

This is one of the most important points to understand.

Voting requirements can depend on:

For companies, the Corporations Act 2001 contains rules covering meetings, voting and virtual participation. ASIC also states that companies must follow the Corporations Act and their applicable constitution or replaceable rules.

For example, Australian company law allows virtual meeting technology where it gives people entitled to attend a reasonable opportunity to participate. Members entitled to vote at a virtual meeting must have an opportunity to participate in the vote in real time, while advance voting may also be available.

Other types of organisations have different rules.

For example, NSW strata legislation provides for electronic and remote voting in certain circumstances, with specific requirements applying to electronic secret ballots.

The Fair Work Commission also provides specific procedures for electronic protected action ballots. These include controls over voter eligibility, one vote per employee, recording who has voted and keeping the voter’s identity separate from how they voted.

So the question should not simply be:

“Can we vote online?”

A better question is:

“Does our organisation’s governing framework allow this voting method, and can we conduct it in a way that meets all applicable requirements?”

Electronic voting for AGMs

Electronic voting can be particularly useful at annual general meetings.

A company or organisation may need to vote on:

For virtual and hybrid meetings, electronic voting can also make it easier for remote participants to vote.

ASIC says companies using virtual meeting technology need to provide members, as a whole, with a reasonable opportunity to participate. This includes being able to vote.

That does not mean that every AGM needs a particular voting platform.

The technology needs to be suitable for the meeting and the rights of the members.

For a significant AGM, it is worth testing the complete voting process before the meeting starts.

Electronic ballots for elections

Elections are another strong use case for electronic ballot software.

A proper election may involve:

1. nominations opening
2. candidate information being collected
3. voter eligibility being confirmed
4. the ballot being prepared
5. voting opening
6. voters submitting their choices
7. voting closing
8. votes being counted
9. the result being checked
10. the result being declared

The complexity increases when preferential voting, multiple positions, weighted voting or other election rules are involved.

An electronic system can reduce manual work, but the election rules still need to be configured correctly.

A mistake in the voting rules can produce a technically perfect count of the wrong ballot.

That is why election setup deserves as much attention as the voting software itself.

Electronic voting and protected action ballots

Protected action ballots are a good example of why organisations should not treat all electronic ballots as the same.

The Fair Work Commission specifically recognises electronic voting as a method for protected action ballots, but there are detailed requirements.

For an electronic protected action ballot, the ballot agent must ensure that:

There are also rules about who may conduct a protected action ballot.

As a result, organisations involved in enterprise bargaining should make sure the ballot process meets the specific Fair Work Act and Fair Work Commission requirements rather than assuming that any online poll is suitable.

Electronic voting for strata schemes

Strata voting is another area where electronic ballots can be useful, but the rules are jurisdiction-specific.

For example, NSW Government guidance says owners can vote using electronic means where the relevant requirements are met. It also explains that electronic voting arrangements must be included in the meeting notice and that reasonable steps should be taken to make sure entitled people can participate.

NSW regulations also contain specific requirements for electronic secret ballots, including keeping the voter’s identity separate from the ballot and securely storing electronic ballot papers.

This illustrates a wider point:

Electronic voting software should support the rules of the voting process, not replace them.

For strata managers, this can become especially important when dealing with proxies, quorum, unit entitlements, multiple motions and committee elections.

What should you look for in electronic ballot software?

Choosing a platform based only on whether it has an online voting button is risky.

Look at the whole voting process.

1. Voter authentication

Ask how the system confirms that the person voting is entitled to vote.

2. Duplicate voting controls

The system should prevent a voter from submitting more votes than they are entitled to cast.

3. Ballot secrecy

If the ballot is secret, ask how the system prevents the voter’s identity from being linked to their vote.

4. Voting rules

Make sure the platform can handle the voting method you actually need.

This may include:

5. Audit records

Ask what information is recorded and what reports are available after the ballot.

6. Security

Voting systems may handle names, email addresses, membership information and other personal information.

Organisations should understand how that information is collected, stored, protected and eventually deleted or de-identified where required.

The Australian Privacy Principles include obligations around the security of personal information. APP 11 requires APP entities to take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

7. Accessibility

A ballot is only useful if eligible voters can actually use it.

Consider:

8. Results and reporting

The system should make it easy to understand the final result and retain appropriate records.

For important votes, a clear results pack can be very useful.

Common mistakes when moving from paper to electronic voting

Treating electronic voting as just an online survey

A normal survey tool may not provide the controls needed for a formal election or secret ballot.

A governance vote can have very different requirements.

Using email links without proper controls

Sending the same voting link to everyone may make it difficult to verify who is entitled to vote or whether someone has voted more than once.

Forgetting about voter eligibility

The software cannot decide who is entitled to vote unless the organisation provides accurate eligibility information and the rules are correctly configured.

Linking voter identity directly to a secret vote

For a secret ballot, administrators should understand exactly what information the system stores.

The ability to authenticate a voter does not mean the system should also reveal that person’s vote.

Ignoring the constitution or governing rules

An organisation may have rules about:

Moving from paper to electronic voting does not remove these requirements.

Assuming faster counting means lower risk

Electronic counting can be much faster, but speed does not guarantee accuracy.

The ballot design, voter roll and voting rules still need to be checked.

Testing only the administrator side

Always run a complete voter test from the invitation through to the final confirmation.

Electronic ballot security: what should organisations ask?

Before selecting a voting provider, ask practical questions.

Who can access the administration system?

Administrative access should be controlled carefully.

How are voters authenticated?

Understand how the system confirms voter eligibility.

Can administrators see individual votes?

This is especially important for secret ballots.

What is recorded in the audit trail?

Ask what actions are logged and how long records are retained.

How is personal information protected?

Understand where voter information is stored and who can access it.

What happens if someone loses access to their ballot?

There should be a clear recovery process that does not weaken ballot security.

What happens if the voting system becomes unavailable?

Important elections and ballots should have a sensible contingency plan.

Electronic ballots are about trust, not just technology

The strongest electronic voting process is one that voters can understand and trust.

People want to know:

A good voting process should be able to answer those questions clearly.

That is why independent administration, transparent procedures and good records can matter just as much as the software itself.

How Vero Voting can help

Vero Voting provides electronic and online voting solutions for organisations that need more than a basic online survey.

Its voting services can support elections, AGM voting, member ballots and other formal voting processes, including voting that involves different voter rights or more complex rules.

For AGM voting, for example, Vero Voting can support resolutions, elections, proxy management and different voting rights.

For strata organisations, its voting platform can support processes involving proxies, quorum requirements and unit entitlements.

For organisations conducting larger elections, an electronic voting platform can also reduce the administrative work involved in distributing ballots, monitoring participation, counting votes and preparing results.

The right solution depends on the organisation and the rules governing its vote.

That assessment should happen before the ballot is opened.

Electronic ballot software vs manual voting: which should you choose?

A simple way to approach the decision is to consider the size and complexity of the vote.

Paper or manual voting may be suitable when:

Electronic voting may be suitable when:

For some organisations, the best answer is a combination of methods.

The goal is not to make voting digital for the sake of it.

The goal is to make the voting process accurate, accessible, secure and easy to defend.

Key takeaways

If your organisation is considering moving from paper ballots to electronic voting, Vero Voting can help you assess the voting process and choose an approach that fits your requirements.

Sources

The following official sources should be used when reviewing the legal and governance requirements behind electronic voting in Australia: