Election Runner vs. ElectionChamp

ElectionChamp offers more voting methods, AI-assisted ballots, email + SMS outreach, a beautifully simple interface, and an optional managed service. Election Runner is an education-focused tool with a similar pay-per-election model. Here's an honest comparison.

More Methods

ElectionChamp adds Approval, Cumulative, Motions, Surveys & STV; Election Runner has two.

Email + SMS

ElectionChamp includes SMS and automatic reminders; Election Runner is email-only.

Flat Pricing

$10 up to 200 voters, vs. tiered $19 (100) / $36 (300) brackets.

Education Focus

Election Runner is strong for schools, with documented accessibility.

Election Runner vs. ElectionChamp, Compared

An honest, feature-by-feature look at how the two stack up.

  ElectionChamp Election Runner
Pricing model Pay-per-election. Free up to 20; $10 flat up to 200; $0.05/voter beyond. No forced subscription — subscriptions and volume discounts available on request. Pay-per-election. Free up to 20; $19 up to 100; $36 up to 300; custom above 300. Optional education subscriptions.
Free tier Up to 20 voters, full features. Up to 20 voters; build/test free, pay only when launching above 20.
Voting methods Plurality, Ranked Choice, Approval, Cumulative, Nominations (write-in), Motions, Surveys; weighted voting on any method; STV via ranked ballots + free Excel calculator. Two only: Multiple Choice (plurality) and Ranked Choice (single-winner IRV). No approval, cumulative, or multi-winner STV.
Ballot & candidate limits No practical limits on the number of ballot questions, positions, or candidates — on every tier, including free. Two ballot types only (plurality and single-winner ranked choice); per-position and candidate limits are not publicly documented.
Notifications / SMS Email and SMS, plus automatic reminders. Email only. 2 reminder emails included; extras are a paid add-on ($10 per email per 2,000 voters).
Managed / full service Managed elections available — our team runs it for you. Self-serve only; no advertised managed offering.
Security & anonymity AES-256, SSL, unique single-use 16-digit voter keys, anonymous ballots, full audit trail. 256-bit/SSL encryption, unique Voter ID + Key, anonymous ballots by default, downloadable audit report.
Accessibility Browser-based, no app download; works in any browser. Documented Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 AA compliance.
Setup & ease of use Self-serve, set up in minutes; CSV import; all features on every plan. Self-serve, no coding; logo/color branding; CSV import; real-time result charts.
Best for HOAs, nonprofits, unions, associations, churches, schools, businesses, co-ops, government needing varied methods, SMS, or a managed option. Schools, universities, student governments, and simple nonprofit/club elections.

Election Runner pricing and features verified from electionrunner.com in 2026. Exact rates for 301–1,000 voters are calculator-based. Pricing can change — verify current details on each provider's site. ElectionChamp pricing is always per election based on voter count.

Where ElectionChamp Wins

The advantages most organizations notice first — price, features, and flexibility.

✓A far broader method set — Approval, Cumulative, Nominations, Motions, Surveys, and multi-winner STV — versus just two ballot types.
✓Email and SMS notifications with automatic reminders included — no per-email add-on fees.
✓AI-assisted ballot creation plus templates — a full election set up in as little as 5 minutes.
✓A modern, polished, genuinely easy-to-use interface built for any organization, not just schools.
✓An optional fully managed election service — not self-serve only.
✓Flexible pricing: flat $10 up to 200 voters, with subscriptions and volume discounts available on request.

Where Election Runner Shines

No platform is right for everyone. Here's where Election Runner genuinely stands out.

✓Transparent, publicly listed pay-per-election pricing — no quote needed for standard tiers, and cheaper than most enterprise rivals.
✓Strong, explicit accessibility commitment (Section 508 + WCAG 2.0 AA) that not every competitor documents.
✓Purpose-built for education, with dedicated school pricing and discounted annual subscriptions for unlimited K-12 / higher-ed elections.
✓Anonymous-by-default ballots, a clear privacy policy, and a downloadable voter audit report.
✓Self-serve setup with logo/color branding and real-time result charts.
✓Customer support with an advertised ~8-minute average response time.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose ElectionChamp if…

You need a broader set of voting methods (Approval, Cumulative, Nominations, Motions, Surveys, and multi-winner STV support), no practical limits on ballot questions or candidates on any tier, SMS as well as email notifications, automatic reminders without per-email add-on fees, an optional fully managed election service, or a flat $10-up-to-200 structure — and you're an HOA, union, association, church, cooperative, business, or government body, not only a school.

Choose Election Runner if…

You're a school, university, or student organization that wants an education-specific platform with documented Section 508 / WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility and (for institutions) a discounted annual unlimited-election subscription — and your elections only need plurality or single-winner ranked choice with email communication.

Election Runner vs. ElectionChamp FAQ

Both use a pay-per-election model with a free tier up to 20 voters. ElectionChamp adds more voting methods (Approval, Cumulative, Nominations, Motions, Surveys, plus STV via a free Excel calculator), email and SMS notifications, automatic reminders at no extra charge, and an optional managed-election service. Election Runner focuses on schools and offers two methods (plurality and single-winner ranked choice).

Election Runner sends notifications by email only and offers two ballot types — Multiple Choice (plurality) and single-winner Ranked Choice. It does not offer approval, cumulative, or multi-winner STV. ElectionChamp supports all of these plus SMS notifications.

Both are free up to 20 voters. Above that, ElectionChamp is a flat $10 up to 200 voters, while Election Runner uses brackets ($19 up to 100, $36 up to 300). Depending on your exact voter count, ElectionChamp can be cheaper and is more granular beyond 200 voters at $0.05/voter. Pricing as of 2026; verify current rates.

See the Difference for Yourself

Create a free test election — all features included. No credit card. No subscription. No commitment.

Questions? support@electionchamp.com