For associations with a history of using telephone voting in their elections or with older membership, like retirement and pension systems, telephone voting might be a beneficial addition to other avenues of voting.

Member-based organizations are required to hold elections to decide representation, contracts, bylaws and other internal matters. Therefore, it’s critical that the nomination process is executed properly. Associations, cooperatives, educational institutions, financial institutions, homeowners associations (HOAs), unions, and pension systems are governed by specific bylaws that detail the election nomination process, including who can nominate candidates, how to select nominees, deadlines, and candidate qualifications. 

Private elections serve a variety of important functions. For the most part, these races will decide who sits on the board of an organization, the fate of a new union contract, or whether members agree on initiatives designed to improve the lives of the entire group.

There's a good chance your organization hires a professional election management agency. If so, these generally operate in-house election software, managing everything from nominations and security to engagement and vote tabulations. It's no surprise that elections can be challenging, especially given the sheer number of votes needed to be processed. It's one of the reasons why large member organizations outsource elections. Smaller groups, however, may prefer trimmed-down, do-it-yourself programs providing comparatively less services, yet just enough to help you get by.

Selecting the appropriate voting method for an election is perhaps the most significant decision a member-based organization can make prior to operating these all-important contests.