Ballot Paper Templates for an Election by List
The structure of ballot papers in list elections can vary and has to be adjusted according to the individual needs of your voters and comply with electoral regulations. Guidelines about the election process are generally found in the bylaws of your organization. Here we'll explain the various ways in which list elections can be conducted. Additionally, you can download free ballot paper templates in PDF form.
Ballot paper for a free list election
Ballot papers for list elections with individually electable candidates consists of a list of candidates with a check-box for each candidate. The voter can cast one vote per candidate and has as many votes as there are open seats. If the new board of directors has eight open seats, for example, the voter may cast eight votes.
Votes will be counted and distributed according to the vote counting procedure constituted in the bylaws. The election results can either be calculated by majority voting or proportional representation. The chosen vote counting method needs to be clearly explained in the instructions on the ballot paper.
Free sample ballot paper for a list election to download:
Ballot paper template list elections - general (PDF)
Ballot papers for a closed list election
The electronic ballot paper for a closed list election includes nominations for all open seats in one list. In a closed list election, voters simply vote for a complete list - not for individual candidates.
When creating the ballot paper, make sure to double-check that the number of candidates matches the number of open seats. You'll also need to set an order of candidates. The order of candidates on your election list is important because it determines which candidate receives first priority for one of the open seats.
- If voters have access to the election lists in advance, it's sufficient to simply assign each list a number rather than include the entire list on the ballot paper.
- If just one election list is up for election you can put the entire list on the ballot. Since the order of candidates is already set, voters can only cast their vote for or against the election list.
Free ballot paper templates for a closed list election:
Ballot paper template closed list elections - single list (PDF)
Ballot paper template closed list elections - multiple lists (PDF)
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Panachage and cumulative voting in a list election
Combine different voting options in your list election:
- Under cumulative voting, multiple votes can be cast per candidate
- Under panachage, voters can divide their votes between different candidates and election lists
Free ballot paper templates for list elections in proportional representation with cumulative voting and panachage:
Ballot paper template open list elections - three votes I (PDF)
Ballot paper template open list elections - three votes II (PDF)