A little clarity goes a long way
Good questions. Clear answers.
Everything you need to feel more confident about your next election.
Do voters need to register?
No. Your organisation provides a voters roll, which is imported by VotingCrowd or by your organisation, depending on your plan and setup method. Voters do not register themselves.
Who manages nominations?
Your organisation manages the nomination process. Once nominations close, you provide the candidate list and supporting information to VotingCrowd.
Do we create the elections ourselves?
For once-off elections, VotingCrowd creates the election for you. Alternatively, you will be able to create it yourself using our upcoming AI tool. Annual clients create their own elections.
How do voters access their ballot?
Before the election, voters receive a special voting link via WhatsApp or SMS, with an optional email, depending on the contact information supplied and your messaging arrangements. The link lets them vote without entering a username and password. Login cards can be generated where needed.
Can you import from our existing system?
Provide the voters roll as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet in VotingCrowd’s specified format. Direct integration with third-party systems is not part of this process.
What can the electoral officer do?
The assigned electoral officer can monitor the election using the dashboard during the election. They do not have access to other administrative functions.
Do we have to supply South African ID numbers?
No. Any unique identifier can be used, including a sequence created by your organisation. Every voter and candidate must have their own unique number.
What are Tag1 and Tag2 for?
They describe voter groups, such as Parent or Educator. These fields help identify the eligible audience for each election. See the voters roll section in Steps.
What if a voter is missing after the election starts?
Contact the VotingCrowd team. Administrators have tools to add a voter after an election starts. We strongly recommend checking and completing the roll before the election.
Can we send updates to the voters roll?
Yes, although a final, complete voters roll is preferred wherever possible.
Will you clean up our data?
We assist with basic data cleanup, and our upcoming AI tool will also help with preparing and cleaning your voters roll. Your roll must use the required format, and you remain responsible for checking that the information is accurate and complete. We may return it for correction if substantial changes are needed. The first hour of preparation is included; additional work is charged at the rate shown on the pricing page.
Do we import the roll ourselves?
You import the voters roll yourself only if you are an annual client or use the AI tool once it becomes available. For once-off elections managed by VotingCrowd, submit your prepared roll to our team and we will handle the import.
What if a voter makes a mistake?
Contact the team for assistance. A vote-reset tool exists, but resets are not recommended and should be discussed with VotingCrowd.
Where can we confirm school-election accreditation?
The existing VotingCrowd website lists national Department of Basic Education accreditation and recognition by the GBF and FEDAS. Ask the team for current supporting documentation for your institution’s requirements.