• Quick set up on our secure server
• Quick results
• Unlimited number of respondents
• Simple questionnaire structure
• Reasonable questionnaire size
• No user authentication
• Anyone can download a copy of the questionnaire
• SSL encryption between server and desk top ensures confidentiality
• Automatic validation of responses in real time. (e.g. response cannot be submitted until mandatory questions are answered)
• Respondents are anonymous (unless they identify themselves in one of the questions)
• Responses are anonymous (this applies to all goVote surveys, unless respondents identify themselves in the survey)
• Simple analysis of results (including some cross tabulation if required)
• Report on results includes graphs and tables in printed and electronic format, suitable for client to paste in other documents
• The Client owns the data that is gathered

Private survey

As for Public survey above, and:

• Only people with the current access code can download a copy of the questionnaire.
• The client advises the target population of the access code, usually by e-mail.
• The access code provides access for the period specified by the client. Attempts to download the questionnaire before or after that period will fail.

Authenticated survey

As for Private survey above, and:

• Respondents are authenticated via a Personal Identity Number (PIN).
• This ensures that only authenticated respondents can see the survey, and only 1 response is accepted from each of them.
• The session automatically times out after a fixed period. If a respondent has not submitted a valid response during that time, they have to re authenticate themselves and start again.
• Clients have the option of identifying the PINs and / or names of those who have (or have not) responded, but the goVote system automatically stores this information separately from the actual responses. This is the best way to ensure that all responses remain anonymous
• Receipt numbers are automatically issued for each valid response. 3 days after the survey closes, these receipt numbers are posted on the goVote web site, to enable authenticated respondents to confirm that their response has been included in the result.
• Each PIN can only be used once, and only during the period specified by the client.
• PINs can be existing identifiers (i.e. membership numbers, customer numbers, account numbers, etc.) or we can generate them and e-mail them to the target population.

More Complex surveys

As for any survey above, and:

• Larger survey or with more complex structure
• Multiple cross tabulation of the results
• Selective filtering or grouping of cases
• Cross tabulation with, or comparison with, results from other surveys conducted for that client
• Deeper analysis of the results
• Special presentation(s) or report(s) of the results
• Customisation of the goVote system to meet specific client requirements

• Quick set up, requiring minimal effort and no special skills or software from the client’s web master
• Usually 1 simple question, but can have up to 3 simple questions
• The questions can be any type of multiple choice (drop down list, select one, image map, rating scale, etc.)
• The quickVote is displayed for the period agreed with the client
• The quickVote is either placed on the client’s web site or e-mailed direct to the respondent
• There can be an unlimited number of respondents
• Multiple responses are permitted
• Each voter is anonymous
• Responses are stored on our secure server.
• There is wide support for different web browsers.
• Results are instantly available as a statistical table, with graphs.
• If required responses can be automatically validated before they are added to the tally.
• Results are provided on line in real time
• There is no voter authentication
• Questions requiring a free text answer cannot be used
• The results cannot be cross tabulated

Cross tab quickVote

As for Basic quickVote above, and:

• The quickVote contains 2 questions
• The results are cross tabulated on line, in real time
• The results can be analysed by columns or rows on line, in real time
• The final result is provided to the client in the electronic format of their choice

Authenticated ballot

• A ballot contains only a few questions or propositions on which the voter indicates a preference or choice.
• Questions are typically of the following types:
  • “Select one of the following candidates / options”
  • “Rank the following candidates / options in your order of preference”
  • “Indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements”
  • “indicate where you live by clicking on the map below”
• Reference data relevant to the ballot can be provided in a web link. This can be any form of content, i.e. text, PDF documents, video, images, etc.
• Voters are authenticated via a Personal Identity Number (PIN).
• This ensures that only authenticated voters can see the ballot, and only 1 ballot is accepted from each of them.
• Each PIN can only be used once, and only while the ballot is open, as specified by the client.
• The final report includes details of which PINs were (or were not) used.
• Clients have the option of identifying who has (or has not) voted, but the goVote system ensures that this information is kept separate from the actual ballots. This is the best way to ensure that all responses remain anonymous.
• PINs can be existing identifiers (e.g. membership numbers) or we can generate them and e-mail them to the target population.
• Receipt numbers are automatically issued for each valid response. 3 days after the ballot closes, these receipt numbers are posted on the goVote web site, to enable authenticated respondents to confirm that their vote has been included in the result.

Postal ballot

As an adjunct to Web based ballots, goVote can handle all aspects of postal voting, including:

• Organising the preparation and mail out of voting papers and voter information
• Providing reply paid return mail to a Post Office Box exclusively reserved for the client
• Ensuring that postal ballots are only accepted from authenticated voters
• Automatic checking to ensure that no individual votes more than once, and automatic logging and reporting of all attempts to do so
• Batch processing in our own premises, following procedures which are tailored to each client’s security requirements
• Providing secure storage and audit trails (physical and electronic) to facilitate scrutineering and random secondary counts or complete recounts if required
• Reporting on which ballots were cast via the Web and which were sent by post
• Merging of postal and on line ballots as they are processed, enabling progressive reports on the results of the ballot, if required

Voter Registration

When clients are considering an authenticated ballot, goVote recommends that voters should be given the opportunity to register for Web voting prior to the ballot, so that they can be excluded from the postal voting process, thereby reducing the overall cost to the client.

In consultation with each client, goVote sets up user friendly and secure registration procedures that comply with their authentication requirements.

The voter registration process is hosted on the secure goVote server and is protected by 128 bit encryption, in addition to the password and PIN requirements of each client.

Member survey / ballot system

This System can run any type of survey or ballot described above, and offers unique benefits to organisations who want to communicate on line with their members.

Each system is developed to reflect the specific needs of the client organisation, and usually includes the following features:

• Multiple surveys and ballots can be run simultaneously
• Surveys and ballots can be on line very quickly
• The history of each member’s eligibility and participation in surveys and ballots is recorded
• There is a membership number data base, maintained by the membership officer
• Members choose and manage their own passwords
• Members who have forgotten their passwords can authenticate themselves using (for example) their date of birth and the answer to their "secret question"
• The membership officer can re set passwords
• The returning officer decides which members are entitled to participate in each survey or ballot, and they are added to the relevant “voter roll”
• The returning officer can be given special access to enter postal ballots, or goVote can provide this service if required.
• The final report includes data from both postal and web ballots

DIY quickVote on line ballot system

This system allows client personnel, with no Web authoring skills or software, to easily create, edit and administer their own quickVotes.

• Each quickVote can have one or two questions, which can be separate or cross tabulated
• Each question can be either a “drop down list”, a range of “option buttons”, or a series of “check boxes”
• Questions requiring a free text answer cannot be used
• In consultation with each client, we design and set up a quickVote template on a page on our secure Web server. The client decides the format of that page, and it is accessed using the link that we provide. This link can be activated from a button (or several buttons) on the client’s web site, or the client can e-mail it to a specific target audience. (or both)
• Clients choose and administer their own password and “secret question” in order to limit editing and administration access to authorised personnel
• There is no voter authentication, but each voter remains anonymous
• There can be an unlimited number of voters, and multiple responses are permitted
• Results are available on line in real time, as a statistical table with graphs
• HTML help is available on line to assist the client in formatting the text of the questions
• There is a “Technical problems?” link on the quickVote to assist voters if they encounter any difficulties
• The client can reset the tally and / or change the questions at any time
• The standard system allows clients to construct and administer two entirely separate (and simultaneous) quickVotes, but tailor made systems can be provided, if clients have other requirements.