As technology continues to revolutionise how we connect, e-democracy is reshaping the way organisations engage with their members. From digital voting to online elections, the shift toward paperless democratic participation has never been more important.As one of the UK’s leading election services providers, we examine how embracing digital tools can enhance accessibility, increase participation, and streamline election processes.
Digital democracy opens new opportunities for organisations to foster stronger connections with their audiences. In this article, we explore the key factors driving the adoption of e-democracy and how it’s transforming elections for the better.
Increased Accessibility
Electronic information is accessible anywhere and anytime. In the UK we are spending two hours online on our smartphones every day and superfast 4G is changing the way we communicate. This means that members of a particular organisation, society, association or any other group can receive election-related information, such as election notices, nomination requests and UVCs (unique voting codes), straight to their phones or tablets.
Easy Online Voting Systems
Making the democratic process easy encourages participation and engagement. UK Engage has seen this with both the nomination and voting stages of an election. Making the user experience (Ux) positive and the human/computer interaction easy (by incorporating online nominations and e-voting) allows members to participate with ease. If the process is favourable to members, they are more likely to use it.
Paperless Elections for a Digital-First Demographic
Where clients’ data permits, UK Engage has also seen a trend for 100% online elections. This is where the nominations and voting processes are paperless. This type of election is popular in two scenarios; where an organisation has a specific budget (as online options do not incur paper and postage costs) or where an organisation has a younger demographic profile.
Driving Participation Through Social Media
With 7 in 10 internet users having a social media profile2, membership organisations are seeing the merits of this channel as a way to interact with members about an election process. Indeed, social media appears to be driving all age groups online, even the age group 65+ shows an increasing trend for new profiles, year-on-year.
Partner with UK Engage for Digital Democracy Solutions
UK Engage offers advanced e-voting technology and communication strategies tailored to your organisation’s needs. From improving accessibility to increasing turnout, we provide the tools you need for successful online elections.
Explore our election consultancy services to discover how we can help optimise your democratic processes.
To find out more about how UK Engage can help your e-democracy requirements, contact us on 0345 293 5555 or democracy@uk-engage.org