Overview

The platform manages voter notifications, vote collection, counting and winner announcements for virtual and in-person elections, votes and meetings. Participants can vote by cellphone, computer, tablet or mail, so organizations can support both remote voters and people taking part during a meeting.

ElectionBuddy suits organizations whose voting process needs more than a basic ballot. It supports several voting systems, configurable ballot content and reviewable results. Groups running only occasional, uncomplicated votes may find that breadth unnecessary, particularly if their voter count exceeds a free plan's cap.

Key features

Voting methods and ballots

Supported voting systems include first past the post, cumulative, preferential ballot, STV, scored voting, rating scale and approval voting. Ballots can cover multiple vacancies, randomize candidate or question order, and include edited descriptions, highlighted amendments, struck-out words, documents and website links. This flexibility is useful when election rules or ballot materials vary, but organizers should match the selected method to their process.

Notifications and integrations

Voters can be reached by email, mail or text, or through an organization's website, e-newsletter or existing systems. Listed integrations include Microsoft Azure SSO, WordPress, Zapier and Zoom. APIs can add voter lists, administrators, departments and organizations; webhooks can update external systems when voters vote or register. These options help connect voting to organizational workflows, while API access is included in the Professional ElectionVote plan rather than the lower ElectionVote tiers.

Security, records and support

ElectionBuddy forces HTTPS with TLS and HSTS, is PCI DSS compliant, and encrypts payment data before sending it to Stripe. Customers own account data, which is retained during the account lifetime and can be exported in XML, CSV or Microsoft Excel formats. Results and the voting process are auditable, independently reviewable and downloadable for inquiries and recounts while protecting voter anonymity. Email support is included with subscriptions; phone support comes with Expert Setup services.

Pricing

ElectionBuddy uses free and per-use plans, with subscriptions for stored results and related administration. The free options suit small groups, but their limits make voter count and access to results important planning considerations.

Free (MeetingVote): Free, billed pay per use, for up to 20 voters and 5 motions per meeting. A fit for a small meeting with a limited agenda.
Free (ElectionVote): Free, billed pay per use, for up to 20 voters, with results accessible for 30 days. The short results window makes this less suitable when a group needs an ongoing record.
Storage Subscription: 27.00 USD per year, billed per year. It stores results after 30 days and allows sharing results and downloading reports, addressing the free ElectionVote plan's time limit.
Plus (ElectionVote): 29.00 USD per once, billed pay per use, for up to 350 voters; SMS Notice is a $29 add-on. A relatively low-cost option for a modest election that does not need the higher voter ceiling or included SMS.
Premium (ElectionVote): 99.00 USD per once, billed pay per use, for up to 1,000 voters, with 3 reminders and SMS Notice included. It suits larger groups that want reminders without purchasing SMS separately.
Professional (ElectionVote): 299.00 USD per once, billed pay per use, for up to 100,000 voters, with 10 reminders, API access and webhooks. This is the option for high voter counts or organizations that need those integrations.
Plus (MeetingVote): 197.00 USD per once, billed pay per use, for up to 75 voters and 20 motions per meeting. It expands beyond the free meeting cap for a small-to-mid-sized meeting.
Premium (MeetingVote): 397.00 USD per once, billed pay per use, for up to 350 voters and 30 motions per meeting. It fits larger meetings with a defined motion limit.
Professional (MeetingVote): 797.00 USD per once, billed pay per use, for up to 20,000 voters and unlimited motions per meeting. It is aimed at large meetings where the lower plans' voter or motion caps would be restrictive.
Platinum Subscription: 279.00 USD per year, billed per year, with results storage, 3 administrators included and voter credits at $59 per 500. The included administrator count and additional voter-credit cost matter for organizations with larger teams or electorates.

The free trial is available. Since the per-use plans are billed per use and subscriptions are billed per year, the best fit depends on whether a group is paying for individual votes or ongoing storage and administration.

Platforms

ElectionBuddy is available on Android, iOS and the web. Its voting methods include ranked choice, and ballots can be anonymous; two-factor authentication and an audit trail are supported. The stated voter limit is 350, so organizations planning larger elections should compare that limit with the Professional ElectionVote plan's advertised ceiling of 100,000 voters before choosing a plan. Results can be exported as CSV.

Who it's for

ElectionBuddy is used by professional associations, unions, universities, homeowner associations, schools, political parties, governments, churches and companies. Its mix of remote and meeting-based voting, multiple voting systems and auditable results is particularly relevant to organizations with formal procedures or possible recounts. A group with fewer than 20 voters and no need to retain results beyond 30 days can start with a free option; groups needing higher limits or longer retention should budget for paid plans.

Pros and cons

Pro: Multiple voting systems and customizable ballot content can accommodate different election rules and supporting materials.
Pro: Auditable, downloadable results and process records support inquiries and recounts while preserving anonymity.
Pro: Voters can participate remotely or by mail, and notifications can use several channels.
Con: The free ElectionVote plan caps participation at 20 voters and results access at 30 days, which can be too restrictive for ongoing or larger elections.
Con: SMS costs extra on Plus ElectionVote, and long-term result storage requires a subscription.
Con: The Professional plans cost more upfront than lower tiers, so their higher voter ceilings and added capabilities are most worthwhile when an organization needs them.

Alternatives

Compare online voting software if you want to consider other platforms alongside ElectionBuddy.

AssociationVoting is another freemium option for readers comparing online voting platforms.
POLYAS is another freemium option for readers comparing online voting platforms.
Simply Voting is another freemium option for readers comparing online voting platforms.
SnapBallot is another freemium option for readers comparing online voting platforms.
CharterVote is a web-based freemium alternative.
Election Runner is another freemium option for readers comparing online voting platforms.
OpaVote is a web-based freemium alternative, with API availability.
VoteHost Elections is a free, web-based, self-hosted alternative.

Verdict

Choose ElectionBuddy if your organization needs flexible ballot formats and reviewable results across remote and in-person voting. Its clearest strength is the combination of voting-system choice and an auditable record. Look elsewhere if your election is simple and cost-sensitive, or if you need more voter capacity or longer results retention than the relevant plan provides.

	ElectionBuddy	n-Gauge Polls
Free plan	Yes
Free trial	Yes
Paid from	$2.25/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, Web	Web
Free plan	Yes
Voter authentication	2fa	2fa
Ballot types	ranked_choice
Anonymous ballots	Yes	Yes
Audit trail	Yes	Yes
Voter limit	350 voters
Result export	csv

ElectionBuddy vs n-Gauge Polls

ElectionBuddy

n-Gauge Polls