Elections
Run a school election online
Secret ballots, one verified voter each, and results that stay sealed until you release them — so nobody can argue with the outcome.
Why schools move their elections online
Paper elections take a full day: printing ballots, sealing boxes, counting in front of prefects and teachers, then defending the tally when a losing candidate disputes it. Running the same election on AfricaDecides keeps the ballot secret but removes the counting, the arithmetic mistakes and the arguments about who touched the box.
Voting happens from a phone or a shared device in a supervised room. When the window closes, the result is already computed — you decide when to publish it.
How the ballot works
You create positions — head prefect, guild president, class representative — and add the candidates standing for each. Voters are verified once, then get exactly one ballot per position. The platform does not expose a link between a voter and the candidate they chose, and no running totals are shown while voting is open.
That single design decision is what makes the result credible: nobody, including the organiser, can watch the count and intervene.
What you control
- Positions and the candidates standing for each one
- Who is eligible to vote, verified before the ballot opens
- The exact opening and closing time of voting
- Whether results stay sealed, are shown to organisers only, or are published publicly
- Candidate profiles with photo, manifesto and class or faculty
A typical election day
Set the election up a week ahead so candidates can check their own profiles. On the day, open voting at assembly and share the link or a QR code. Students vote in a few seconds each. Close voting at the announced time, review the result with the patron or dean, then publish. Announcements and the printed result come from the same figures.
Common questions
Is the ballot really secret?
Yes. In election mode a ballot records that a voter voted and which candidate received the vote, but the platform does not show anyone a link between the two. Running totals are hidden from organisers and voters until results are published.
How do you stop a student voting twice?
Each voter is verified once and gets a single ballot per position. A second attempt is rejected, so the roll and the result always match.
Can students vote without smartphones?
The ballot works on any phone with a browser, and many schools run voting on a few shared devices or a computer lab with a supervised queue.
Is it free for schools?
School elections use secret ballots with no paid voting, so there is nothing for students to pay. Talk to us about your roll size before your election day.
Keep reading
Set up your election
Add your positions and candidates, verify your voter roll, and open the ballot when you are ready.
Set up an election