How to Run a Union Officer Election Using Online Voting

From Paper to Digital: A Better Way to Run Union Elections

Union officer elections have traditionally relied on paper ballots at meetings or mail-in voting. Both methods have significant drawbacks: meeting-only voting excludes members on different shifts, traveling, or unable to attend. Mail-in voting is slow, expensive, and produces low return rates. Both are difficult to audit and vulnerable to procedural challenges.

Online voting addresses these issues while maintaining the secret ballot protections that the LMRDA requires. This guide walks you through the entire process, from preparation to results certification.

60-90 Days Before the Election

1. Verify your constitution authorizes electronic voting. If it doesn’t, initiate a bylaw amendment to add electronic voting authorization.
2. Appoint the Election Committee. Members should not be candidates in the upcoming election.
3. Compile the complete membership roster. Every member in good standing must be included — no exceptions.
4. Set the election timeline. Work backward from your desired election date, ensuring the 15-day notice requirement is met.
5. Open nominations per your constitution’s procedures. Announce the nomination period, eligible positions, and qualification requirements.

Gathering Member Contact Information

For online voting to work, you need current email addresses and/or phone numbers for your members:

• Start collecting digital contact information well before the election
• Have shop stewards and local reps verify contact info for their units
• For members without email, plan to use Manual Keys distributed at the worksite or via mail
• Maintain both email and phone fields — SMS notifications have higher open rates than email among many union demographics

Step 1: Election Details

• Election Name: Be specific — “UFCW Local 1234 — 2026 Officer Election”
• Voting Window: 7-14 days. Longer windows accommodate shift workers and members on leave.
• Time Zone: Set to your local’s primary time zone. Members in other zones will see adjusted times.

Step 2: Security Settings

• Result Visibility: Set to “No One” until the election closes. This prevents anyone, including administrators, from seeing results during voting.
• Voter Labels: Enable with member name or union ID for list management
• Notification Method: Email + SMS is recommended. Add Manual for worksite distribution.

Step 3: Build the Ballot

Create one ballot question per officer position:

For each candidate, add a photo and biography through ElectionChamp’s candidate profile feature. All candidates must receive equal presentation — this is both a best practice and a LMRDA requirement.

• Enable Random Order on every question to prevent ballot position bias
• Enable Allow Abstain so members can participate without voting for a particular position

Step 4: Import the Voter List

• Upload your membership roster as a CSV or Excel file
• Include every member in good standing — do not filter based on expected participation
• Add 10-20 Extra Keys for members who may need to be added during the voting period
• If using Manual Keys, download them after setup and plan your distribution strategy

Step 5: Customize Notifications

Compose a notification that includes:

• The official election name and your local’s name
• Positions being elected
• Voting window (start and end dates with times)
• Clear instructions: “Click the link below to vote. You will need your unique voter key.”
• A statement that voting is confidential and anonymous

Step 6: Review and Launch

• Preview the ballot to verify all positions, candidates, and settings are correct
• Have the Election Committee review and approve before launch
• Submit the election and verify that notifications are sent

During the Election

1. Monitor participation through the ElectionChamp dashboard — track total votes and participation rate
2. Send reminders to non-voters at regular intervals (Day 3, Day 7, Day 12 for a 14-day window)
3. Distribute Manual Keys at worksites for members who haven’t received or opened their email
4. Make voter support available — ElectionChamp provides free support to voters who need technical help
5. Do not discuss candidates or campaign during the voting period from any official union channel

After the Election

• Download results immediately from the Results tab — CSV report with full vote counts, percentages, and winner designations
• Download the audit trail from the Audit tab — timestamped log of every action
• Send results to all members using ElectionChamp’s one-click results distribution
• Announce results at the next membership meeting
• Archive all election records for at least one year (LMRDA minimum) — we recommend keeping them for the full term of elected officers
• File election results as part of your LM-2 or LM-3 annual report to the DOL

Protest-Proofing Your Election

The best way to avoid a DOL election challenge is meticulous process. Key safeguards:

Ready to modernize your organizational voting? Start for free at ElectionChamp.com — secure, anonymous, and mobile-friendly voting for every organization.