Voting Management

Create and manage community ballots for motions, elections, and amendments. PorchQ's voting system ensures fair, transparent community governance.

Creating a Ballot

1. Go to Voting in your board portal
2. Click New Ballot
3. Fill in the ballot details:
   • Title: Clear description of what's being voted on
   • Description: Full context and any supporting information
   • Ballot Type: Motion, Election, or Amendment
4. Add voting options
5. Configure settings (see below)
6. Save as Draft or Publish immediately

Ballot Types

Motion

Standard yes/no or multiple-choice votes:

• Budget approvals
• Special assessments
• Rule changes
• Project authorizations

Election

Choose candidates for positions:

• Board member elections
• Officer selections
• Committee appointments

Add each candidate as a voting option with their name and optional description.

Amendment

Votes on changes to governing documents:

• Bylaw amendments
• CC&R modifications
• Rules and regulations updates

Include the specific language being changed in the description.

Configuring Ballot Options

For each ballot, add the available choices:

1. Click Add Option
2. Enter the option text (e.g., "Yes", "No", "Candidate Name")
3. Add an optional description for context
4. Repeat for all options

For elections with multiple seats, you can allow voters to select multiple options.

Setting the Voting Period

Define when voting opens and closes:

• Start Date: When residents can begin voting
• End Date: The deadline for submitting votes

The ballot automatically opens and closes at the specified times based on your community's timezone.

Quorum Requirements

Set the minimum participation needed for a valid vote:

1. Enter the Quorum Percentage (e.g., 50%)
2. The system tracks participation in real-time
3. You can see if quorum has been reached before finalizing

If quorum isn't met, the vote may need to be extended or reissued.

Anonymous Voting

Enable anonymous voting when:

• Privacy is important (sensitive topics)
• You want to encourage honest responses
• Governing documents require secret ballots

With anonymous voting:

• Individual votes are not recorded by voter
• Only aggregate results are visible
• The system still ensures one vote per eligible member

Eligible Voters

Specify who can participate:

• All Members: Every resident with portal access
• Owners Only: Property owners (exclude tenants)
• Specific Roles: Custom eligibility based on membership roles

Eligible voters receive notifications when the ballot opens.

Ballot Workflow

Draft

Create and edit the ballot before it's visible to residents. Use drafts to:

• Prepare ballots in advance
• Get board approval on wording
• Review options before publishing

Open (Published)

When you publish a ballot:

• Eligible voters receive notification
• The ballot appears in their Voting tab
• Votes can be submitted until the end date

Closed

After the end date:

• No new votes accepted
• Results are calculated
• Ballot awaits finalization

Finalized

When you finalize results:

• Results become official
• Residents can view the outcome (if configured)
• The ballot is archived

Viewing Results

During voting:

• See real-time vote counts (optional - can hide until closed)
• Track participation percentage
• Monitor quorum status

After voting closes:

• View detailed results
• See vote breakdown by option
• Export results for records

Publishing Results to Residents

After finalizing, you can:

• Make results visible to all residents
• Send an announcement with the outcome
• Link results to meeting minutes

Best Practices

• Provide context: Include enough information for informed voting
• Allow adequate time: Give residents sufficient time to participate
• Communicate clearly: Announce ballots through multiple channels
• Follow your bylaws: Ensure voting procedures match governing documents
• Document results: Keep official records of all votes and outcomes