At the heart of any successful community lies a meaningful sense of belonging, shared purpose, and mutual respect.
It’s a place where you know your voice matters.
Community voting services allow members to weigh in on important decisions and collectively shape the direction of the community. It can be a significant part of building belonging and shared ownership.
However, before jumping into a digital voting service for your community it’s important to consider whether it’s the right fit for you.
Why might you not want to move forward with a digital community voting service?
Price
First and foremost, cost is a major factor to consider. If your community doesn’t have the budget for it then none of the other factors might even matter to you. Our digital voting service starts with a one-time setup fee of $1,000 and requires a monthly subscription fee ranging from $100-$200 depending on the size of your community (communities under 200 households fall in the lower end of the range while communities of 500 or more fall in the upper end of the range). This monthly subscription fee covers the software subscription, maintenance, and support.
It’s important to carefully weigh the benefits of a digital voting service against the costs and determine whether it’s a worthwhile investment for your community.
Your State Does Not Allow Electronic Voting at HOAs
Secondly, it’s important to note that not all states in the US currently allow for digital voting within HOAs. If your state is one of these, it’s important to consider whether a community voting service is even legally permissible in your area.
At the time of this writing, you can see which states allow electronic voting below. States in green do allow electronic voting.
Community Members’ Technical Aptitude
Finally, it’s important to take into account the comfort levels of your community members. While online services have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, not everyone is comfortable using them, particularly when it comes to something as important as voting. Some community members may prefer to vote in person or via paper ballots, and it’s important to respect these preferences and provide alternative voting methods as needed.
For example, your community may be made up of technology shy residents who may not be as familiar with online services. In this case, it may be more appropriate to provide paper ballots or hold in-person voting events to ensure that all members feel comfortable and included in the voting process. Our digital voting service does accommodate a hard copy integration, so if you feel like your community will eventually transfer to digital voting, we are happy to talk this through with you.
While digital voting services for your community can be a powerful tool for fostering engagement and participation, it’s important to carefully consider whether they’re the right fit for your neighborhood. Cost, legal considerations, and member comfort levels should all be taken into account when making this decision. Ultimately, the goal should be to create a voting process that is accessible, inclusive, and reflective of the diverse perspectives and needs of your community.
If you’d like to reach out and schedule a call with us about adding this service or providing this app to your residents, please click here.
