A hybrid solution for paper voting
Simply Voting’s paper ballot solutions work seamlessly with internet voting. Introduce new voting technology while keeping your legacy voting method in place.
How our paper ballot processing works
Self-service Elections
Simply Voting offers a self-service voter strike-off feature to block paper ballot voters from online voting, in real-time. In the case of in-person paper ballot voting, the election official will lookup the voter’s identity in the Election Manager and mark them as voted offline when the paper ballot is provided. In the case of mail-in ballots, ballots are printed and mailed with a unique, anonymous QR code printed on them. The election official will scan each QR code with their smartphone to mark the voter as voted offline in the Election Manager, without revealing the voter’s identity. In either case the paper ballots will be counted independently of the online voting system according to your organization’s procedures. The final tally from the online voting system will not include the paper ballots but will refer to the expected number of paper ballots.
Managed Elections
For managed elections, Simply Voting provides a turn-key solution for distributing, collecting, and counting mail-in ballots. By opting for this service, your personnel will never have access to actual ballot papers and the secrecy of the vote is safeguarded.
The Mail-Out: Simply Voting will print a letter containing the voter’s address, your logo, and personalized voting instructions for online or mail-in ballot voting. The letter, a blank paper ballot, and a return envelope pre-addressed to the Simply Voting processing facility (optionally with return postage) are folded and inserted inside a high-security window envelope, then sent via USPS as First Class Mail or via Canada Post as lettermail.
Collection and Processing: Simply Voting can accurately process mail-in ballots in-house and on a large scale thanks to our use of technology to automate parts of the process. All staff involved in ballot counting must follow strict protocols to safeguard the integrity and secrecy of the vote. One Simply Voting staff member is always designated as “scrutineer” and supervises the entire process. Our process involves 5 stages of counting:
Stage 1 – Ballot Collection: Sealed return envelopes are collected throughout the voting period by Simply Voting staff and kept locked in high-security storage containers.
Stage 2 – Ballot Opening: Return envelopes are loaded into an automatic letter opening machine and opened. Ballots are removed from the opened envelopes and grouped in batches.
Stage 3 – Ballot Classification: A barcode pre-printed on the ballot contains an encrypted copy of the voter’s Elector ID. Simply Voting staff scan the barcode using a barcode reader and our system indicates whether this elector has already voted. If the elector has already voted the ballot is set aside and not counted. Otherwise the elector is flagged as having voted on paper and the ballot is processed further in the next stage.
Stage 4 – Ballot Entry: Simply Voting staff carefully enter vote selections from each valid ballot.
Stage 5 – Reporting and Data Destruction: Once ballot entry is complete, the mail-in voting tally is instantly merged with the online voting tally. Simply Voting staff compile the data into a certified results letter. The results, an audit trail, and optionally scanned ballots are provided to the customer. All data and paper ballots are destroyed at the time agreed upon with the customer.
Benefits and Features
In-Person Voting
Allow for traditional casting of paper ballots in a ballot box, simultaneously with online voting.
Mail-In Voting
Support for efficiently processing mail-in ballots, simultaneously with online voting.
One Vote Per Voter
It is impossible to vote twice, even if you try casting internet and telephone ballots at the same time.
Make hybrid elections safe and simple.
Don’t just take our word for it…
Our customers appreciate the hard work we’ve put in to both the software and service. Here are some of the things they have said about us.
This was a terrific application. It worked exactly as I wanted it; it was very easy to use; directions were excellent… overall an excellent application, and I would recommend it to anyone and would use it again.
I love your system and your customer service is amazing!!!
We will totally use you again and I will recommend you to friends and colleagues!
Our online voting experience was better than good. We increased our voter turnout from 16% to over 36%. The feedback from our members was very positive. I will be definitely recommending Simply Voting to anyone who wants to go to online voting.
Even when I had a question, your customer service support was fast and excellent. We plan on using Simply Voting again for other club voting processes because it worked out very well for us.
Just want you to know how pleased the entire Board and membership were with this online voting experience. You made it simple to navigate, easy to set up and completely impervious to “monkey business”!
Your voting system and customer service are EXCELLENT! You have thought of everything to make it easy for admins to set up and conduct an election. I’m having a hard time thinking of anything you could do different.
There is a sense from users that the electronic voting went so well, that we will be looking to utilize it fully again in the future for other mandates that we are part of.
The election itself ran without incident or complaint, and without any need for me to do anything after initial setting up. We will be using your service again next time we are holding an online ballot.
We found it to be extremely convenient, cost effective and was very well received by all of the members that utilized it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a voter cast two votes - one internet, and one paper?
No. Once a voter is stuck off because they were given a paper ballot or because their mail-in ballot was processed, any online voting sessions immediately stop because the voter is no longer eligible to vote. On the other hand, if the voter first casts an online ballot, they will not be able to be struck off and the Election Manager will indicate that they have already voted. The election official shall then refuse to issue a paper ballot or shall put aside the mail-in ballot and not count it, as the case may be.
When should paper ballots be processed?
Paper ballots may be processed before, during, or after the online voting period. They may be struck off at the time of paper ballot counting, or struck off in advance and counted later.
Can I offer mail-in ballots to just some eligible voters?
Yes. Instead of distributing mail-in paper ballots to all eligible voters, you may provide mail-in ballots on demand, or just distribute them to a subset of electors such as those without an email address.
Handle hybrid voting at your next election.
Whether you prefer a self-service or managed solution, combine online and paper ballots using Simply Voting. Get in touch now for a no-obligation quote.