How voting would work
This website is outfitted with simple voting software that allows users to log into the website and cast their vote. The intention is to support majority rule democracy.
The process is simple:
- Participants must be either the property owner or their representative – one vote per property.
- Everyone who would like to participate in community voting is given a login to this website. The login username assigned to each voter is a random 4-digit number, thereby keeping individual votes secret.
- Anyone can suggest a subject to vote on.
- The subject of the upcoming vote is posted on this website.
- For and against arguments can be discussed and debated via the Papaya Farms Rd email list.
- A date is determined to conduct the vote – this could be one day, or multiple days.
- Participants log into the site and cast their vote. This is recorded by the voting software.
- When the voting is completed, the results are posted as a list of usernames and whether they voted yea or nay, and the overall result as a percent of the total number of votes cast. Since the usernames are random 4-digit numbers, each person who voted can verify their vote, while keeping the voting anonymous.
- The names of the people who voted will also be listed, in a separate alphabetical list. This is to confirm that the total number of votes cast in the anonymous username list is identical to the number of people who cast votes.
FAQ
Can I vote from a smart phone?
Yes, anyone who has a smart phone will cellular access to the internet can vote using this website.
Do I need an internet connection to vote?
No. At the minimum you need a smart phone with access to the internet.
If I don't have a computer, smart phone, tablet, or internet connection, how can I vote?
You can vote from any computer or smart phone with access to the internet; for example, a neighbor's smart phone.
How do I know there's no cheating going on?
It's up to the voters to verify their votes – all voters are encouraged to review the results. The only way to cheat would be to "stuff the ballot box" by sneaking in fake user accounts, or by voting using someone else's account. Voting using someone else's account is prevented by the simple verification of the vote mentioned above; i.e. make sure your username is listed and your vote recorded correctly. The only way fake user accounts could be made would be by the administrator of the website. This possibility is eliminated by verifying the total votes cast with the alphabetical list of voters by name – if a person didn't vote and sees their name on the list, they can report this.