How to Request an EVote Election
Last updated March 2018
The EVote system - which is administered by University Information Technology (UIT) - is an online voting system that allows voters to cast their ballots remotely.
Since voters use their Passport York (PPY) information to access the elections, EVote is not anonymous. However, it is confidential, because all the information is secure and has restricted access.
To request an election, follow these steps:
- Download the ballot file (at right) and fill in the appropriate parts of the form as indicated. An example ballot is included as well.
- Create your voters list. It must contain either Passport York (PPY) usernames, or student or employee ID numbers only. Please DO NOT send names, phone numbers or email addresses.
Remember: PPY usernames are different from email addresses. To verify a PPY username, have the voter log into https://mms.yorku.ca. If the voter can login, it’s a valid PPY username; if not, it isn’t.
- If you are a part of an administrative group and would like to use EVote for your elections, please send your request to askit@yorku.ca.
If you are a part of a recognized student government and would like to use EVote for your elections, please send your request to ero@yorku.ca. (The ERO will also provide Voters Lists for student elections.)
NOTE: Submit the ballot and voters list a minimum of 3 business days before you’d like the election to begin.If you require the election to begin in advance of the required 3 business days, we can accommodate your request, however, there will be a $100 fee. We will require a budget number in order to proceed with the election request.
This applies to all evote requests, both from student governments and administrative groups. - Once the election is uploaded to the EVote system, you will be asked to review screenshots to verify the accuracy of the ballot. Before the election can begin, you must verify the accuracy of the ballot in writing. The election cannot begin without the ballot being approved.
After the election, official election results will be emailed to the election administrators whose email addresses have been provided in the ballot submitted to askit@yorku.ca.
Election results will be automatically deleted from the EVote system 180 days after the election’s closing date. If the election should be deleted before then, please contact the EVote administrators at askit@yorku.ca.
What if I want to make changes to a requested election?
If there are any changes to the election (ie. changes to the question being voted on; addition to / deletion of voters from the voters list; etc.) the election start date may be delayed by up to 24 hours (see ‘Timelines for Changes to Elections’ below).
Questions and requests for changes to a ballot must be made in writing to askit@yorku.ca.. This ensures that such requests are clearly articulated and understood. Verbal requests for changes are insufficient. Any change to the ballot (other than typographic corrections) will delay the start of the election by up to 24 hours.
Once an election has started, all questions/comments from voters should be directed to the organization who requested the election.
Timelines for Changes to Elections:
Up to one business day before beginning of election:
- If the election has already been approved, minor change requests to the ballot can be accommodated provided that the voter list has been already processed. Will not affect election start date & time.
Less than one business day before beginning of election:
- Simple changes such add/remove a choice or some choices for a question can be accommodated so long as any newly added answers can be listed at the end of the existing list of possible answers. No change to election start date & time.
- Corrections to typographic errors. No change to election start date & time.
- Complex changes, such as changing the order of questions or candidates or responses. Postpones the election by 24 hours.
