> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.earthcoop.ir/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Running Polls and Elections in Your EarthCoop Group

> Use polls to gather quick group consensus and run democratic elections to choose your group's managers and inspectors on EarthCoop.

EarthCoop gives every group two distinct tools for collective decision-making: **polls** for gathering quick opinions and reaching informal consensus, and **elections** for formally choosing the managers and inspectors who govern the group. Both tools are woven into the group's live feed alongside chat messages and blog posts, so decision-making feels like a natural part of the group's daily conversation rather than a separate administrative task.

## Polls

### Creating a Poll

Any active member of the group can create a poll. Observers can vote but cannot create polls.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Poll Creator">
    Inside your group's chat feed, click the **Poll** button in the composer toolbar (the bar where you type messages). A creation form slides into view.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Write Your Question">
    Enter the poll question in the **Question** field. Be specific — a clear question produces more useful results.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Answer Options">
    Type each answer option and press **Add Option** to include it. You need at least two options. You can add as many as needed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the Duration">
    Choose how many **days** the poll should remain open. Members can vote until the poll expires. After expiry, the results are locked and displayed permanently in the feed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose the Poll Type">
    Select **General** for a standard poll open to all members, or **Skill-Based** to restrict voting to members with a specific expertise field on their profile.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Options">
    Optionally enable **Multiple Choice** to allow members to select more than one answer, or enable **Anonymous Voting** to keep individual votes private while still showing the aggregate results.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Publish">
    Click **Send**. The poll appears immediately in the group feed and all members receive a notification.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Voting on a Poll

When a poll appears in the feed, click the option you want to vote for. Your choice is recorded instantly. You can change your vote at any time before the poll expires by clicking a different option — your previous vote is removed and the new one is recorded.

### Viewing Live Results

Results update in real time as votes come in. Each option shows:

* The **number of votes** it has received.
* A **percentage bar** representing its share of total votes.

Results are always calculated against the active member count of the group, not the total registered membership, so the percentages reflect meaningful participation.

<Tip>
  If you want to gather expert opinion on a technical question, create a **Skill-Based** poll and select the relevant expertise field. Only members whose profiles include that skill will be counted in the results, giving you a more informed signal.
</Tip>

### Editing and Deleting Polls

Managers can edit the question text or extend the deadline of any poll from the feed using the **edit** (pencil) icon. To remove a poll entirely, click the **delete** icon. Deletion removes the poll from the feed for all members immediately.

### Vote Delegation on Polls

If you trust another member's judgment on a particular question — especially in skill-based polls — you can **delegate your vote** to them.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Find the Delegation Option">
    In the poll panel, click **Delegate My Vote**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a Delegate">
    Search for the member you want to delegate to. You can delegate to any active member of the group.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Delegation">
    Confirm your choice. Your delegate casts a vote on your behalf. You can revoke the delegation and vote directly at any time before the poll closes.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Delegating your vote does not prevent you from voting yourself. If you cast a direct vote after setting a delegation, your direct vote takes precedence and the delegation is automatically removed.
</Warning>

***

## Elections

### What Elections Are

Elections are the formal mechanism through which a group chooses its **managers** and **inspectors**. Unlike polls — which are advisory — election results directly update member roles in the group. The number of managers and inspectors a group can elect is determined by its geographic scope and group type, as configured at the platform level.

### Election Workflow

<Steps>
  <Step title="An Election Is Opened">
    A current manager opens a new election from the group dashboard. The election has a defined **start date** and **end date**. Once open, a banner appears in the chat feed and all members are notified.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Members Nominate Themselves as Candidates">
    Any active member who wishes to stand for a manager or inspector position registers as a candidate. Candidates are listed publicly in the election panel, visible to all group members.
  </Step>

  <Step title="The Voting Period Opens">
    During the voting window, each member can cast votes for candidates in two separate positions: **inspector** and **manager**. You select one or more candidates per position, up to the maximum allowed for your group.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit Your Votes">
    Click **Submit Votes** to confirm your choices. You can revise your choices at any time before the deadline — submitting again replaces your previous votes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Election Closes and Results Are Tallied">
    When the manager clicks **Finish Election** (or the end date is reached), the system tallies the votes, identifies the top-voted candidates for each position, and automatically updates their roles in the group. Elected managers and inspectors are notified, and an announcement is broadcast to all group members.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  An election can only be finalised once. After **Finish Election** is clicked, results are permanent and the roles of elected members are updated immediately across the platform.
</Note>

### Viewing Election History

To review past elections and their outcomes, go to **History → Elections** from the main navigation. Each entry shows the election period, the group it was held in, the candidates who stood, the vote counts, and the final role assignments. You can also view your personal poll-voting history at **History → Polls**.

<Tip>
  Election history is a key part of group accountability. Managers are encouraged to share past election results with new members so they can understand how the current leadership came to be.
</Tip>