Page History

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• Cost $200
• Configured settings. 
• Gather Data with a PowerShell script to extract the AD Group Voting Members
• Extract Data, load into Electors list
• Set up the question, recommend setting random order for the ballot question.
• The term nominated candidates was specifically chosen to clarify that these candidates have been nominated as per our bylaws. (it's an easy thing, but avoids any debate)
• Update the Contact email. A member recommended using a group email instead of a singular person.
• Nominate all the candidates into the system

# 
# Script to pull list of voting members into CSV for voting
# 2026-04-11
#

Import-Module ActiveDirectory

$GroupName = "Voting Members"

# Get members and store in variable
$members = Get-ADGroupMember -Identity $GroupName -Recursive |
    Get-ADUser -Property DisplayName, Mail, Title, Department |
    Select-Object Name, DisplayName, SamAccountName, Mail, Title, Department

# Export to CSV
$members | Export-Csv -Path "M:\tjsmith\voting_members.csv" -NoTypeInformation

# Output total count to console
Write-Host "Total users exported: $($members.Count)"

Online Voting

Use the VotingMembers.csv file to setup online voting using SimplyVoting.com.

In 2018, SimplyVoting.com cost $200 and was procured by Ken Purcell.

Create Ballot

• This year the ballot had all the candidates in alphabetical order.
• It has been suggested that the ballot be in random order.
• It has been suggested that talk handles and pictures be added to the ballot.
• Print enough ballots for members that didn't vote electronically (registered - electronic votes).

Create Voting Sheet

Use the VotingSheet.ods file, along with the VotingMembers and the SimplyVoting voter report to create the Voting Sheets. Create one blank Voting Sheet for late filers. In 2018, several members applied for voting rights on sight and therefore were not included on the pre-printed sheets. Also, the voting sheets had to be printed from LibreOffice so that one column of names could be inverted, so one name column faces the volunteer, the other faces the walk-up voter.

In Person Voting

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Vote Counting

• Candidates were invited to witness the ballot counting or provide a proxy witness. In 2018, we did not notify the candidates of this until the vote count was ready to begin, resulting in a delay.
• Announce over the P.A. system that the vote counting is beginning.
• Vote Counting Station:
  • Choose a room with a monitor. In 2018, we used the location of the member meeting, Interactive.
  • Use the Vote Counting spreadsheet template. Make a copy. Update with names of candidates in tally column and names of candidate or proxy witnesses. Cast the spreadsheet onto the monitor.
  • Print out of the online voting results.
  • Volunteers: Need 3. One to check + read + number the ballot, one to type the result into the spreadsheet, one to spread the ballots on a table for inspection.
• Ballots were individually checked, counted and numbered (excessive votes invalidated the ballot, ie 6 votes).
• Ballots were entered into a spreadsheet for live updates of totals and verified.
• Ballots were laid out for candidates to visually verify.
• Ballots were counted and that count compared to the number of in person votes tallied and the number of signatures on the Voting Sheets.
• Online vote totals were added to the spreadsheet.
• The new BoD was announced.

Post Election

Infrastructure Chair stored envelope of ballots in the cabinet in the server room.

Infrastructure Chair created @DallasMakerspace.org emails for the new BoD members and added them to the Admin@/DMSBiz@ email group.

Infrastructure Chair added the following AD rights to the new BoD members:

• Administration
• Board of Directors
• Calendar Admins
• Electrical Room Access
• Financial Reporting
• Google Apps Users
• Honorarium Admins
• MakerManager Admins
• Server Room Access
• WordPress Editors
• Infrastructure Secure Share Access

Post BoD Handover

Infrastructure Chair removes the outgoing BoD members from the Admin@/DMSBiz@ email group.

Infrastructure Chair removes the following AD rights from the outgoing BoD members (unless there is a good reason to keep specific rights):

• Administration
• Board of Directors
• Calendar Admins
• Electrical Room Access
• Financial Reporting
• Google Apps Users
• Honorarium Admins
• MakerManager Admins
• Server Room Access
• WordPress Editors
• Infrastructure Secure Share Access

Files

Media:MembersAddress.zip This file contains a Windows .CMD file that must be run as an admin on a computer on the domain, it creates MembersAddress.csv, which is imported into LOB.com to send letters informing the membership of the BoD election.

Media:VotingMembers.zip This file contains a Windows .CMD file that must be run as an admin on a computer on the domain, it creates VotingMembers.csv, which is imported into the following Libre Office Calc file and is also used by Simply Voting as the list for electronic voting.

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