User Guide
Everything you need to know about using VoteStack - whether you're casting a vote or running an election.
Getting Started
What you need to know before casting your vote.
What is VoteStack?
VoteStack is a secure online voting platform. Organisations use it to run elections - you receive a unique voting link or Election ID to participate.
What you need
You need two things: an Election ID (provided by your organisation) and your Voter ID (e.g. student number, employee code, or membership ID).
Your vote is secure
Votes are encrypted end-to-end with AES-256. Your identity is never linked publicly to your ballot. Each Voter ID can only vote once per election.
Casting Your Vote
Step-by-step walkthrough of the voting process.
Open the voting link
Click the link shared by your organisation, or go to the VoteStack Join page and enter the Election ID manually. The format is typically a short alphanumeric code.
Enter your Voter ID
Type your unique Voter ID exactly as registered by your organisation. This could be a student number, employee code, or any ID your organisation uses. It is case-sensitive.
Face verification (if enabled)
Some elections require face verification. Allow camera access when prompted, then position your face in the frame and click "Capture." The system checks your identity in seconds - your photo is never stored.
Select your candidate
Review all candidates listed on the ballot. For a standard election, select one candidate. For multi-position elections, you will see separate ballot sections for each position - vote in each one.
Submit your ballot
Review your selection, then click "Submit Vote." You will receive an on-screen confirmation. Your vote is final - you cannot change it after submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from voters.
What if I enter the wrong Voter ID?
The system will show an error. Double-check the ID your organisation gave you - it may include leading zeros or special characters. Contact your administrator if the problem persists.
Can I vote more than once?
No. Once you submit your ballot, your Voter ID is marked as voted. Any further attempts will be rejected immediately and logged in the audit trail.
The camera won't open for face verification.
VoteStack requires HTTPS to access your camera. Click the lock icon (🔒) in your browser's address bar, go to Site Settings, and set Camera to "Allow." Then reload the page.
What if the election is not open yet?
If a schedule is set, the voting page will display when voting opens and closes. You cannot submit a ballot outside the scheduled window.
Is my vote anonymous?
Yes. Your Voter ID confirms eligibility, but your actual candidate choice is never linked to your identity in the results. Administrators only see aggregate vote counts.
What if the page shows "Election is closed"?
The administrator has closed the election. Voting is no longer possible. Contact your organisation for results or further information.
Account Setup
Create your VoteStack account and access your dashboard.
Create an account
Go to the VoteStack Sign Up page. Enter your full name, email address, and a password (minimum 6 characters). Your private workspace is created instantly - fully isolated from other organisations.
Your dashboard
After signing in you land on the Dashboard. From here you create elections, copy voting links, view live stats, and manage all your elections in one place.
Profile & security
Visit your Profile page to update your password. The Active Sessions page shows all devices currently logged in - you can review and manage them there.
Creating Elections
Set up your first election in under two minutes.
Choose an election type
Click New Election on the dashboard. Choose between:
- Standard Election - one pool of candidates, voters choose one.
- Multi-Position Election - multiple roles (e.g. President, Secretary), each with their own candidates. Voters vote in every position on a single ballot.
Set a title and schedule
Give the election a clear title (e.g. "Student Council Elections 2026"). Optionally set a voting schedule - a start and end date/time - so voting opens and closes automatically.
Add candidates
Inside the Manage page, go to the Candidates tab. Type a candidate name and press Add Candidate. Repeat for all candidates. For multi-position elections, each position has its own candidate list.
Register voters
Go to the Voters tab. Add voters one at a time (Voter ID, Full Name, optional Email/Phone) or import a list. Only registered Voter IDs can participate - all others are blocked.
Share the voting link
Copy the unique voting link from the Share Banner at the top of the Manage page, or copy the Election ID. Send either to your voters via email, Slack, WhatsApp, or any other channel.
Managing an Election
Monitor, update, and control your election in real time.
Live results
The Results & Analytics tab shows real-time vote counts, percentages, bar charts, and a doughnut distribution chart. Results update as ballots come in - no refresh needed.
Voter status
The Voters tab shows who has voted and who hasn't. Use the All / Voted / Not Voted filter pills to segment your list. Search by name, email, or Voter ID.
Face ID enrollment
If you enable Face Verification on an election, voters must verify their face before voting. Enroll faces per voter using the face icon on each voter card. Voters can also self-enroll via a link.
Voting schedule
Use the Schedule tab to set or update when voting opens and closes. Changes take effect immediately. The current schedule status is shown in a live banner at the top of the schedule panel.
Refresh data
The stats strip at the top of the Manage page shows candidate count, voter count, votes cast, and turnout percentage. Click Refresh to get the latest numbers at any time.
Deleting an election
From the Dashboard, click the delete icon on an election card. You will be asked to confirm. Deletion is permanent - all candidates, voters, votes, and results are removed immediately.
Face Verification
Add biometric identity checks to your election.
Enable Face ID on an election
In the Manage page hero banner, toggle the Face ID switch to ON. This enables face verification for all voters in that election.
Enroll voter faces
In the Voters tab, click the face enroll icon (👤✓) on any voter card. On the enrollment page, capture 3 angles - Front, Left, Right - using the camera, or upload photos. Only face embeddings are stored, never photos.
Voter self-enrollment
You can share the enrollment link directly with voters. They access it, authenticate with their Voter ID, and enroll their own face - no admin involvement needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from election administrators.
How many elections can I run at once?
There is no limit. You can run as many concurrent elections as needed. Each election has its own candidates, voter list, link, and results dashboard - completely independent.
Can I add voters after the election starts?
Yes. You can add voters at any time, even while voting is open. Newly added voters can vote immediately using their Voter ID.
Can I remove a candidate after voting has started?
Yes, but any votes already cast for that candidate will remain in the audit log. Removing a candidate during an active election is not recommended as it may affect result integrity.
What is the difference between Standard and Multi-Position?
Standard elections have one set of candidates and voters choose one. Multi-Position elections have multiple roles (President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.) - each with separate candidates - and voters cast one vote per position in a single session.
Where can I see who has and hasn't voted?
The Voters tab shows every registered voter with a "Voted" or "Pending" status badge. Use the filter pills (All / Voted / Not Voted) to sort and the search bar to find specific voters.
How do I close an election early?
Go to the Schedule tab and set an end time in the past, or toggle the election to "Closed" status. All active voting sessions are immediately invalidated.
Is my data private from other organisations?
Yes. Every organisation operates in a completely isolated namespace. No other administrator can see your elections, voters, or results. VoteStack does not sell or share data.