Electronic Voting

American Mensa uses electronic voting system. They may be willing to share their how-to if asked directly.

 Mensa Mexico used during the 6th AG and bussiness meeting (Feb 3rd 2013) LimeSurvey.org free + open software for electronic voting, allowing members not physically present to participate.

The service of the company MenthalArts® was used to administer the system and voting process, but the application of LimeSurvey was used at the request of the members of Mensa Mexico in spite of the recommendations of the company that lent the service.

LimeSurvey is a very big system, with many configuration options and a very simple interface for users with little or any knowledge in programming, but its versatility and presentation sacrifices some security before cybernetic attacks, because it allows and it recognizes the entrance of some commands in certain answer options, and the system   give freedom to the user of manipulating some elements in the visual interface.

In spite of those details, LimeSurvey allows generate codes of only one access for the active members only, that previously have to be registered manually by the administrator (what could cause some error in the capture of data of much entries), keeping the use from that code when voting for not allowing more than a vote, also separating in the databases the voter's information and of its vote to assure the anonimity.

An important error to consider in LimeSurvey is that the massive shipment of the access codes by mail to the list of voters, causes that when each person enters to the system to vote, neither she registers her vote neither the use of her code, reason why is necessary to send a mail manually to each voter and replace the templates of LimeSurvey with the link to the system and the access code for separate (in the same mail), so that the user has to enter the code in the web of the system.

Although there are few systems of this type, it is better to already use the systems proven and guaranteed by the companies for these services to carry out this type of votings and to be sure that there won't be errors like those mentioned with LimeSurvey. An example is the habitual system of MenthalArts®, where the voter is who registers in the system in certain dates and once closed period the registration stage, the administrator of the system only proceeds to verify that the registrations belong to people with permission to vote and to activate it with a single click, that which avoids capture errors and it maintains administered the times of the processes.

Systems like this don't expose neither the voter's information nor their vote. But do allow auditories in case it is needed to be conducted. This is part of the contract agreement with MentalArths®.

The electronic voting was a success not only because the vote was secret and could be casted only once, but because of the fact that this system plus physical voting during the bussiness meeting increased the percentage of voters up to 57.6% of our membership in just 4 days of electoral process (it is important to note that Mensa México conducted extraordinary elections and these are not the regular times).

In case of needed, the system can be operated for other chapters, please use the contact form at CinthiaReyes.com for her to contact you with the responsible member of this task.