Since January 2021, Catalan sports regulations allow the bylaws of sports clubs and entities to provide for postal voting and electronic voting to elect the board of directors and the presidency. This change was enacted via a decree-law amending Article 31 bis of Legislative Decree 1/2000 (Consolidated Text of the Sports Act) and Article 10.2 of Decree 58/2010, on sports entities in Catalonia.
The regulations require the system to guarantee:
- the voters' right to information,
- a receipt confirming the delivery of the vote,
- voter authentication,
- the authenticity and secrecy of the ballot,
- that no one can vote more than once,
- that every cast vote is included in the final tally.
ElectIQ complies with all these statutory requirements. If your club's bylaws do not yet provide for electronic voting, they must be amended during a general assembly.
To get started, you only need:
- The roll of members with voting rights, with a unique email address for each person.
- The certified candidacies.
Each member receives a personal link and can vote from a phone, tablet, or computer. Upon voting, they receive a receipt. Once the ballot closes, the tally is automatic.
All participants have access to a page explaining how ballot secrecy is protected and how they can verify that the outcome is accurate.
In most clubs, candidacies run individually or as teams, depending on the bylaws. There are usually no separate constituencies or subdivisions by sports category, even though the club may include diverse groups: athlete members, non-athlete members, coaching staff, or employees. Electronic voting is particularly convenient for members who do not visit the club facilities regularly.
Club members who satisfy the conditions set in the bylaws, such as a minimum seniority or being up to date with membership fees. Each individual has one vote, regardless of athletic affiliation or family ties to other members.
They can vote for as many candidates or slates as there are seats up for renewal on the governing board, as set out in the election call.
It depends on the bylaws and the official election call. The call usually states how many members will comprise the board of directors or governing body being renewed.
The board of directors or electoral committee must clearly specify in the election notice the number of seats, timeline, voter roll, and voting procedure. If electronic voting is to be used, it must also be stated in the call.