Electronic Voting (also known as e-voting or online voting) is a fully digital process for casting a ballot. E-Voting generally tends to be faster, less costly and more environmentally friendly than traditional paper ballots and is consistent with a number of resolutions passed at BCGEU Conventions asking the union to decrease its environmental footprint and provide more paperless options for conducting its business.

Simply Voting Inc. is an independent, full-service provider of securely hosted online elections. Their voting system was launched in 2003 and currently over 4000 organizations in 67 countries, from municipalities to political parties to unions, rely on Simply Voting to safely execute their elections. Many reputable third parties have audited the company’s product, technical infrastructure, and corporate infrastructure. Customers include the Alberta NDP, the California Teachers Association, the BC Federation of Labour, and the Mississauga First Nation.

You can find further details on the security and reliability of the voting software here: https://www.simplyvoting.com/security-and-reliability/

The BCGEU’s bargaining committee decided to use electronic ballots for the ratification vote for two reasons:

1) A vote using electronic ballots is faster than using paper ballots mailed out to each member in the province (ensuring that the results are communicated as quickly as possible to members); and

2)Using a third-party, online election platform, which both sends out the voting credentials and tabulates all the votes, ensures the integrity of the vote

The vote starts at 8:00 am PDT on Monday, March 13th and ends at 5:00 pm PDT on Monday, March 27th. You may vote any time during that period.

Voting using Simply Voting is easy. Simply Voting will send you your voting credentials both by email and by regular mail, assuming you have provided the union with your current email and mailing address. If you have only provided one address (either email or mailing address) you will only receive your credentials via that address. Paper credentials have already been sent, so members will receive those in the mail in time to vote before the deadline. You will receive your email credentials by March 13, 2023.

The email with your credentials will have the following sender address: [email protected].

To avoid having your credentials email redirected to your Spam or Junk folder, save this email address to your Contacts now. Your voting credentials will include your unique Elector ID (which is your BCGEU Membership number) and a password. These voting credentials are unique to you and can only be used once. Once you have submitted your ballot using your credentials, you will not be able to reuse them. You can cast your ballot using any computer (desktop or laptop), tablet or smart phone.

If you have not received an email or a letter at your home address by March 14 with your credentials, do the following:

1. Check your Spam or Junk folder to see if an email from [email protected] is there.

2. If you cannot find the email after searching your Spam or Junk folder, and you did not receive a letter with your credentials, please email [email protected].

3. If you started working on August 1, 2022 or later, and have not completed a BCGEU membership application, please go to www.bcgeu.ca/membership and complete this form. This will ensure you are entered into our membership database so that Simply Voting can send your credentials to you.

Please note that it could take 1-3 business days to receive your credentials.

Simply Voting receives all the ballots and will tabulate all the votes. Because all ballots are cast electronically, Simply Voting will be able to send the BCGEU the results of the vote within minutes of the voting period closing. Those results will be emailed to the Community Social Services Returning Officer.

No, this is not necessary because Simply Voting will send an email with the results to the designated Returning Officer. A copy of the email will be forwarded to the Chair of the Negotiating Committee. The results of the vote will be communicated to all members on March 29.