ElectionBuddy offers two ways that you can set up the running time of your vote: scheduling a start and end date/time, or manually starting your vote.
Scheduling a Start Date/Time and End Date/Time
You can schedule your vote’s running time in the first stage of your vote setup. On the Details page:
Select “Schedule a Start and End time”
Either type or select from the list (the buttons on the end of the input area - the calendar and clock), your start date and time for your vote.
Either type or select from the list (the buttons on the end of the input area - the calendar and clock), your end date and time for your vote.
Tips and Tricks
Scheduling your vote's running time has a few hidden "tricks" to it. Here is a guide:
Make sure that your vote is set to the correct time zone before setting your dates and times. If you set your times first and then adjust your time zone, ElectionBuddy adjusts your times according to the time zone you’ve chosen, which may result in you having start and end times that you don’t actually want!
The vote start and end date/time input fields are predictive - as you type, they will suggest input for you. To choose the suggested input, click on it, or hit "Enter".
The vote start and end date/time input fields are also "clever". For example, try typing "now" into your vote's start time!
If you're working with a duplicated vote, you may run into some issues setting your vote's start date/time:
Have you checked your vote's end date/time? You cannot set a start date/time that is after your vote's end date/time. Try changing your end date/time before you adjust your start date/time!
You can choose a time that is not on the quarter-hour, although it looks like you can't.
For example, if you are trying to set your vote start time to 2:55 PM, you cannot select this option from the drop-down list that appears when you click the clock-labeled button, and when you type it in, it is going to appear to change to 3:00 PM.
If you've typed in 9:55 AM, and it changes to 10:00 AM, proceed through the rest of your vote setup until you hit "Review". Take a look at your vote's details; the intended time was saved as your vote start time:
Manually Starting Your Vote with the Vote Timer
If the start time of your vote or meeting is flexible, you can manually start your vote using the vote timer. It’s also a great way to control the timing of your meeting agenda items and motions.
To set up a vote with a manual start time, select the “Manually start the vote” option on the Details page. You will be able to specify how many minutes and seconds you would like to have your vote run, with a maximum runtime of 60 minutes.
You can also enable a countdown timer that will appear at the top of the ballot so that voters know how much time is left in the vote.
Please note that once you select “Start Vote” and complete payment, your vote will start and notices will go out. You can leave your vote Incomplete until you are ready to start it by selecting the “Save and Exit” button on the Review page.