ElectionChamp
Run a Referendum Vote Online
Put one clear question to every member, with yes, no and abstain options, anonymous ballots and an exportable audit log.
A referendum vote puts a single question directly to all members, who answer yes or no. Government referendums ask citizens about laws or constitutional changes. An organizational referendum asks members about decisions their bylaws reserve for them, such as dues, mergers or bylaw changes. In ElectionChamp, you run one as a Plurality question with Yes and No options and Allow abstain turned on, and results are counted the moment voting closes.
What a referendum is and its purpose
A referendum is a direct vote by the full membership on one specific question, usually answered yes or no. The members make the decision themselves, with no board or delegate in between.
The purpose of a referendum is to give members the final say on decisions that change the organization in a lasting way. Because every eligible member had a vote, the result carries clear legitimacy. Many bylaws reserve dues changes, mergers, dissolution and amendments to the bylaws themselves for a member vote.
Organizational vs government referendums
A government referendum is run by an election authority under election law, and the voters are citizens. An organizational referendum is run by the organization under its own bylaws or constitution, and the voters are members. The bylaws set who is eligible, how much notice members get, what share of votes passes the question and whether a quorum applies. Some organizations call these member votes or ballot questions.
Referendum examples for organizations
These examples of referendums cover questions organizations often put to members. Each has a sample one-line ballot question to adapt to your bylaws. Rule changes have their own guide on our bylaw amendments page.
| Organization | Referendum | Sample ballot question |
|---|---|---|
| Association or nonprofit | Dues increase | "Shall annual dues increase from $60 to $75, effective January 1?" |
| Association or union | Merger or affiliation | "Shall the association merge with the regional society on the terms sent to members on March 3?" |
| Any membership body | Bylaw or constitution change | "Shall Article V be amended to allow online voting in director elections?" |
| Union local | Strike authorization | "Do you authorize the bargaining committee to call a strike if no agreement is reached?" |
| Student union | Fee or policy referendum | "Shall the student union fee increase by $8 per term to fund extended library hours?" |
| Cooperative | Capital project | "Shall the co-op borrow up to $400,000 to replace the roof, as presented at the annual meeting?" |
| Church | Building decision | "Shall the congregation approve buying the adjacent lot for a fellowship hall, at a price up to $250,000?" |
| HOA, where the governing documents call for a member vote | Special assessment | "Shall the association levy a special assessment of $1,200 per unit for pool repairs?" |
For union contract votes, see contract ratification. For routine questions between referendums, see polls, surveys and motions.
How to run a referendum vote online in ElectionChamp
- Confirm the rules. Check your bylaws for eligibility, notice period, voting threshold and quorum. Confirm with your bylaws and counsel.
- Start the election. On the Start step, set when voting opens and closes so it matches the dates in your notice. The time zone is detected from your browser, and voting opens and closes on its own.
- Add the question. On the Ballot step, choose Plurality and set Voters choose to Options. Enter the question as worded in the notice (titles hold up to 60 characters, so put a longer question in the voter instructions), add Yes and No, and turn on Allow abstain.
- Add context. Use the voter instructions to summarize the proposal and tell members where to read the full text.
- Add your voters. Paste your list or upload a CSV on the Voters step. If votes follow units or shares, turn on Weighted ballots in Start first. Add spare keys for members who join after launch.
- Send keys and reminders. Each member gets a single-use 16-character key by email, text message or from you. Check the invitation on the Invitations step. After launch, send reminders from your dashboard: 1 on a free election, up to 5 on a paid one.
For a full walkthrough, read our guide on how to run a membership referendum or policy vote online.
Thresholds and quorum for a referendum
Your bylaws set the bar a referendum must clear. The two most common are:
- Simple majority: more yes votes than no votes, or more than half of votes cast, depending on the wording.
- Two-thirds: often used for bylaw amendments, mergers and dissolution.
Check whether abstentions count as votes cast, because it changes the math.
A 300-ballot referendum needs two-thirds. Members vote 196 yes, 89 no and 15 abstain.
| Counting basis | Yes share | Two-thirds met |
|---|---|---|
| Yes and no votes only (285) | 68.8% | Yes |
| All ballots, abstentions included (300) | 65.3% | No |
Quorum is a separate test: the minimum participation for the vote to count at all. Abstentions count as participation in ElectionChamp, and your bylaws decide whether they count toward quorum. The dashboard shows votes cast and pending votes in real time, so you can send reminders if turnout lags. Confirm thresholds and quorum with your bylaws and counsel.
Referendum results and audit log
When voting closes, ElectionChamp counts the referendum automatically. Results show yes and no counts with percentages, and abstentions appear on a separate line. Download them as CSV for the minutes, or email every member a link to the results page in one click.
Ballots are anonymous. Administrators can see who voted, never how. The audit log records each step from launch to close with a timestamp, including every ballot submitted (never by whom), reminders, resends and views of the results and voter list, and it exports as CSV. If a member challenges a close result, you can show when the voter list and results were accessed.
What an online referendum costs
Pricing is per election, with no subscription. A referendum for 20 members or fewer is free. From 21 to 200 members it costs $10 flat. Above 200, each voter costs $0.05, so a 1,000-member vote costs $50. Spare keys count toward the price. See pricing for details.
Referendums Questions
A referendum vote puts one question directly to all eligible members, who answer yes or no. Your bylaws say whether the result decides the matter or is advisory.
It gives members the final say on major decisions such as dues, mergers and bylaw changes. A vote of the full membership gives the decision clear legitimacy.
Common examples are dues increases, mergers, bylaw amendments and union strike votes. Student fee changes, co-op capital projects, church building decisions and some HOA special assessments also go to referendum.
Yes, if your bylaws say so. ElectionChamp reports yes, no and abstain counts, and you apply the threshold your bylaws set.
No. Each key works once, and a ballot cannot be changed after submission. Members see a confirmation screen before they submit.
Free up to 20 voters, $10 flat for 21 to 200, and $0.05 per voter above 200. A 500-member referendum costs $25.
Put your next question to every member
Set up a yes, no and abstain referendum in about 10 minutes. Testing is free, and you pay only when you launch.
Questions? Email support@electionchamp.com