Empowering Civic Engagement through Real-Time Online Voting

Civic engagement has taken on a new dimension in committees and councils at both the city and county levels. Transparency has become a rallying cry for citizens and communities as they seek to bring trust and integrity into the civic engagement process.

DirectVoteLive, a platform developed by Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS), embodies this vision and encourages civic engagement through real-time voting for government officials and members of the community. Tailored for meeting voting, the online voting software empowers credentialed participants to exercise their civic duty by casting votes instantly.

The secure, user-friendly platform removes participation barriers and ensures everyone has a voice, striking the perfect balance between modern convenience and representative governance. This facilitates efficient and effective connections, collaboration, and informed decision-making through its versatility in handling online voting scenarios. From small city-county commission meetings to substantial national referendums, DirectVoteLive handles it all with ease.

The platform was created to help organizations, leaders, and communities make democratic decisions in real time while having accurate documentation of it all. DirectVoteLive has become the bridge for organizations and communities, empowering them to uphold the integrity of their votes in real-time environments. By facilitating the direct involvement of individuals, DirectVoteLive is enabling them to express their opinions and foster a deeper understanding of their needs and interests.

“We believe that civic engagement is a cornerstone for a healthy democracy, and DirectVoteLive is our contribution to that cause. Through this, we aim to offer a unique solution that enhances the voting experience for all participants. We are proud to be a part of the movement toward a more engaged and connected society,” says Pete Westerhaus, VP of Marketing and Digital Development of SBS.

Providing Secure and Customized Governance Solutions

The inception of DirectVoteLive can be attributed to SBS’ experience spanning three decades in providing governance solutions to member-based organizations, governments, and commercial entities of all shapes and sizes This unparalleled expertise is why DirectVoteLive models itself to meet each organization’s unique needs, ensuring every vote is managed securely and accurately tallied.

The importance of safeguarding voting integrity and protecting participant voting information is deeply ingrained in all aspects of SBS’ operations. As a company, SBS takes great pride in its comprehensive approach to security, support, and transparency as a third-party governance solutions provider. This dedication to security extends to its credential-based systems, which only permit eligible voters to submit a ballot, and ensures each person votes only once.

SBS’ commitment to security is further demonstrated by the company’s SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, which signifies that its data handling, storage, and processing practices have been audited and exceed industry standards.

All of SBS’ governance solutions incorporate leading-edge security features such as multi-factor authentication, and encryption to maintain the confidentiality and accuracy of the voting process. They remain vigilant in monitoring potential security threats, ensuring the voting process remains secure across its suite of solutions and services. Emphasizing security at a granular level, SBS successfully addresses the critical need for strong safeguards in voting and beyond.

A User-Friendly Voting Experience

SBS understands the process must be simple and user-friendly for participants to adopt online meeting voting. That is why they have designed and developed DirectVoteLive to be web-based and intuitive to use. The 508-compliant platform ensures it is accessible to all users, including individuals with disabilities. It enables voters to cast their ballots from any web-connected device, including desktop computers, and personal handheld devices. Voters can conveniently and securely access their ballots via text message, email, or single sign-on (SSO) for a seamless and user-friendly voting experience. This makes the voting process more accessible, as they can participate from anywhere.

“Our platform focuses on delivering a flexible and adaptable voting experience, enabling real-time decision-making, and providing greater convenience for voters. As a web-based solution, it offers unparalleled adaptability, ensuring that voters can participate from anywhere. Above all, our secure infrastructure guarantees a reliable voting process that maintains the integrity of each vote,” adds Westerhaus.

We believe that civic engagement is essential for a healthy democracy, and DirectVoteLive is our contribution to that cause. Through this, we aim to offer a unique solution that enhances the voting experience for all participants

SBS collaborates closely with clients to create customized solutions that cater to their unique requirements. The in-house development team is adept at incorporating additional features or components as needed, resulting in a seamless, centralized voting platform tailored to the organization’s needs. Further, SBS offers exceptional support at every stage, and clients can trust SBS as a dedicated partner committed to meeting their needs and providing a seamless meeting voting experience that maximizes voter accessibility.

A Proven Track Record of Ultimate Flexibility and Ease of Use

The true brilliance of DirectVoteLive shone through as its remarkable capabilities took center stage in a client success story. One of SBS’ clients was using a clunky, clicker-based voting system that required expensive hardware and was challenging to use. They were interested in SBS’ real-time voting solution, and after months of discussions and demos, they were impressed by how flexible the solution was. The online platform’s ease of use was a significant plus for their voters, who were pleased with the simplicity of the process. DirectVoteLive improved its overall meeting structure, providing a more efficient and intuitive voting process.

Real-time voting is the future of governance, and SBS leads the way in this effort. With over 750 elections conducted, and a focus on security, user-friendliness, customizable solutions, and unmatched support; SBS has established itself as the leading provider of voting software. As organizations continue to embrace the benefits of online voting, SBS is at the vanguard to provide the technology and support needed to ensure the success of the voting process.