Are you about to run those important school elections? School elections are incredible for building your school community, engaging students, promoting an interest in debate, and improving the entire school structure.
However—as with all democratic elections—there could be fraud issues. Your school needs to avoid corruption in school elections at all costs because it will destroy morale and present the school in a negative light.
Here are some ways you can stop voter fraud in school elections:
- Don’t Use Ballot Boxes
Traditionally, ballot boxes were the way schools calculated votes during elections. However, ballot boxes are now an outdated way to count votes. Not only are they time-consuming and tricky to manage, but they also encourage voter fraud. So, what is the alternative to ballot boxes?
Online voting software for schools is the best alternative. Due to its encrypted online nature, an online voting tool makes it impossible for students to commit voter fraud. In addition, election software can save time, boost engagement, and decrease costs. It’s a no-brainer for schools to scrap ballot boxes.
- Streamline The Voting Process
The more convoluted the voting process, the more likely you’ll see voter fraud. Unfortunately, traditional school elections needed paperwork and lots of time. However, it’s considerably more challenging to track the entire voting process to prevent corruption when it’s not quick.
When using an online voting system, you’ll streamline the entire process. As a result, there’s less time for students to commit voter fraud. You should also create simple, streamlined rules for all candidates. You can even mention potential punishments for voter fraud to act as a deterrent.
- Use Simple Online Software
One of the best ways to prevent widespread voter fraud is through easy-to-use online software. That way, the teachers can concentrate on preventing voter fraud instead of worrying about managing the software. However, the online software should also be customizable, have customer support, and be compatible with your school’s current IT system; this ensures a smooth election process.
- Scrap Paperwork
Does anybody love paperwork? It’s a tiresome task for most people. Sadly, paperwork isn’t just arduous; it also welcomes voter fraud and corruption. You must monitor the paperwork constantly and ensure nobody gets into them before an election. However, the best way to remove all paperwork from your elections is through a simple-to-use online voting system.
- Vet All Candidates
One of the most significant mistakes schools make is not vetting their candidates properly. Teachers should interview all candidates before the election to gauge if they’re serious. That way, it’s easy to see whether they’re credible candidates.
In addition, you should limit the number of candidates on the ballot box. Sure, it’s important to allow many people to participate—but the more people running in the election, the greater chance of voter fraud.
Final Thoughts
The best way to prevent fraud at your school elections is by transferring to an online ticketing service. At Voting4schools, we have the perfect system for you. Our school election app prevents corruption and streamlines the election.