An election administered with Election Runner goes through 5 different states (we may also refer to the state as an election’s status, stage, or mode):

  1. Building
  2. Scheduled
  3. Running
  4. Completed
  5. Archived

Building

All elections start in the “Building” state. When an election is in the “Building” state, the election administrator can make any changes to the election’s configuration. This includes the election’s settings, the ballot, and the voters list. An election will remain in the “Building” state until the election administrator goes through the Launch Process.

Building Election Permissions

The following summarizes the different actions an Election Administrator and Voter can take while the election is in the “Building” state:

  • Update all election settings
  • Manage the voters list
  • Manage the ballot
  • Preview the election

Voters

Voters cannot access an election that is in the “Building” state


Scheduled

On completion of the launch process, an election will enter the “Scheduled” state. A “Scheduled” election will automatically start (change to the “Running” state) on the start date/time and timezone defined in the election settings. If the start date/time is set to a date/time and timezone that is in the past, then the election will start within 2 minutes of completing the launch process.

Scheduled Election Permissions

The following summarizes the different actions an Election Administrator and Voter can take while the election is in the “Scheduled” state:

Election Administrators
  • Manage the voters list
  • Update election settings under the General, Messages, and Email tabs.
  • View the ballot
Voters
  • Can access the election via the election’s URL, but will not be able to login to the election or view the ballot.
  • Can see the election on the organization’s landing page (see: Organization Landing Page )

Running

Once an election enters the “Running” state it has officially started. The election will automatically end on the date set in the settings unless the election administrator chooses to close the election before that date.

Running Election Permissions

The following summarizes the different actions an Election Administrator and Voter can take while the election is in the “Running” state:

Election Administrators
Voters

Completed

Elections enter the “Completed” state when the election administrator closes the election or the election closes automatically on the end date.

Completed Election Permissions

The following summarizes the different actions an Election Administrator and Voter can take while the election is in the “Completed” state:

Election Administrators
Voters
  • Can see the election on the organization’s landing page (see: Organization Landing Page)
  • Can access election by visiting the election’s URL but will not be able to login. Voters will see the “After Election” message (see: Election Messages)
  • Can view election results if the results have been published by the election administrator (see: How to Publish Election Results)

Archived

Archiving an election will result in the election being hidden from public view.

Archived Election Permissions

The following summarizes the different actions an Election Administrator and Voter can take while the election is in the “Archived” state:

Election Administrators

Voters

Voters cannot access an “Archived” election


Election Permissions Matrix

Below are tables that summarizes the actions an election administrator or voter can take based on an election’s state.

Election Administrators

BuildingScheduledRunningCompletedArchived
Ballot
Manage Ballot
View Ballot
Election
Preview Election
Launch Election
Fraud Analysis
Close Election
Archive Election
Duplicate Election
Results
View Results
Publish Results
Export Results
Settings
General Settings
Date Settings
Email Settings
Results Settings
Message Settings
Voters Settings
Voters
Manage Voters
View Voters
Export Voters
Export Voter Audit
Export Voter Activity Logs
Send Reminders
Re-send Voter Instructions

Voters

BuildingScheduledRunningCompletedArchived
Election
View the election
View the ballot
Login to the election
Submit a ballot
View results (if published)
Organization
View organization's elections in the state...