Why consider electronic voting at all?  Shouldn’t you worry about security? How can any software handle secret elections? Isn’t it more work? What benefits can you derive from electronic voting? It’s just too new; you don’t want to be the guinea pig!

 

Here’s some good news - the technology issues of e-commerce have been resolved for decades and you aren’t the first user of secure internet filing (in fact, Florida is not the first state to use electronic voting)! 

The IRS settled the issues of secure income tax return filing years ago and even allows a taxpayer to sign with a PIN (Personal Identification Number). Today more than 90% of individual income tax returns are filed using safe, secure IRS eFile.

 

Now let’s consider workload and benefits.  With the right software, there is less work for the Board and the CAM and more reliable election results.  Each electronic ballot means one less double envelope, one less paper ballot. If your software provides an audit trail, you may be able to reduce the number of election challenges.  

 

Maybe the best news is that each electronic vote counts toward your quorum – even if the member does not attend the meeting.  

 

Some things to remember as you enter this brave (not so) new world! 

• Be sure the the online voting software you choose meets the established Florida Statutes and Administrative rules  The DBPR does not “certify” software so it will help you to have the requirements handy so you can ask specific questions of software providers. 

• myHOAstVoter handles the online opt in/out feature - without this feature, your workload could increase substantially

• Make sure the Board establishes specific “reasonable procedures” to opt in and out of online voting; we can help you with that!

• Remember that while electronic voting is not new to HOAst,Inc., it is new to Florida so  it is reasonable to expect changes and, as a result, updates to the software you choose. Our company is based here so we have a vested interest in keeping our software update and up-to-snuff!

 

Online purchases, online banking, email, texting - and now electronic voting - once you’ve been there you don’t want to go back!  Let us help you figure out how to make this work to your best advantage.  Call or write today!

 

by HOAst, Inc. 813.616.6288 contact@HOAst-Inc.com