Note: This post is Part 3 of a series of 22 Practical Ideas to Increase Voter Turnout. Download the entire list here…, or begin with Part 1.

K.I.S.S.

1. Evaluate the length of your election, and consider shortening the voting window.
   Jeff Leach says SLA used to give members five or six weeks to vote. When they switched to electronic voting, they shortened the time. “It doesn’t affect our members who are international. Now everyone is the same as long as they have internet access.” Skip Gilbert, the CEO for USA Triathlon with more than 110,000 members, says his voting lasts from August 1 to Sept. 31. “I think it’s too long. Now that we have gone to electronic elections, we should shorten the period to several weeks.”
2. Consider using online voting credentials that members already know and use.
   National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Debbie Mitchell said her group tried to use the last four digits of their social security numbers as passwords, but her members did not want to use their private information. “We had a lot of resistance to that. We knew not to try that again. Now we use the member IDs.” An added benefit: “They’re starting to pay attention to their number.”
3. Build a single-sign-on system that connects your members-only website with your online ballot.
   If your members are already familiar with logging into your members-only web site, then direct voters to login there. Top online voting vendors will offer services to connect your members-only section with the voting system so that pass codes can be transferred and voters can bypass the usual login screen for voting. You can also place your governance section in the members-only area to encourage a feeling of member exclusivity.
4. Send a welcome email message that offers clear instructions and a prominent link to the voting site.
   When your election begins, notify your members right away. Send an email with the link to the online voting login. Be sure the message includes a personalized greeting, a clear link to the voting site and prominently displayed pass codes. SLA’s Jeff Leach advises, “I think that’s very helpful – to have emails go out that include necessary information. They don’t have to stumble around to find user ID and password.”
5. Send Postcards.
   Postcards are also a great outreach tool to ensure that everyone is notified about the start of the election and how to vote. Consider sending a postcard to all voters or just to voters without email addresses on file.
6. Advertise your election prominently on your association’s web site.
   Use prominent real estate on your homepage and throughout high traffic areas of your web site to display large and noticeable buttons and banners that direct voters to the voting area. Some vendors will even provide a selection of pre-designed graphics that you can use on your online voting site. INMM’s Jodi Metzgar from the notes that she used a banner ad that was made available in the Votenet eBallot election management center. “I think it made the election area easy to find.” Linda Williams of ASCP said they used banner ads in electronic newsletters that pointed to voting areas, plus a link from the homepage throughout the election cycle.
7. Make it easy for voters to get help.
   Despite your best effort to simplify your voting process, some voters may still need assistance. For online voters, the most common problem is forgetting a membership ID or passcode. Make it easy for them to contact you and to seek help. Consider placing a phone number and email address directly on your voting materials, such as the login screen for online voting.