When you're ready to move your ballot or contest from the nominations (or write-in period) to the final voting period, follow these steps to ensure a smooth transition.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Before you get started, ensure the nominations ballot is closed before transitioning to final voting.
1. Determining Finalists
On the left-hand side bar, click on "Submissions".
Once the submissions page loads, locate and click the "Star Submissions" button.
2. Set Star Options
You will have options for including or ignoring ties and inputting the number of top options to star. This feature automatically stars the top submissions based on your criteria.
Enter how many finalists you want and whether or not you want to include ties.
If you include ties: if there are any ties in a category, there would be additional finalists included.
For example, if you have a tie for second place, your export would include six options.
Sometimes there will be a large tie - a four or five way tie - for last place. Check your categories for any of these outliers before going live with the finals ballot.
If you do not include ties: the system will only pull one of the two ties. If you decide not to include ties, it’s imperative that you check to make sure all of the nominees you want to be included are included.
Once you've made your selection, hit the "star" button.
3. Processing and Verifying Starred Entries
Wait for Processing: After hitting the star button, it may take a minute to process. Wait until the status updates to "Completed".
Refresh the submissions page to see the starred entries.
Verify Starred Entries: Manually check the starred entries to ensure they are correct and as intended.
4. Cloning the Ballot
Clone the Ballot: Go back to your list of ballots and in the upper right, click the “CLONE” button to clone the existing nominations ballot to retain all artwork and design elements.
Select the Ballot: Choose the ballot to clone, e.g., "2024 Nominations".
Name the New Ballot: Give the new ballot a name, such as "Best of Voting".
Ad Options: Decide whether to include ads from the original ballot. If you have significant sponsors, you might want to bring these ads over. If you’re selling all new ads to the finalists, you might choose not to include them.
5. Importing Pre-populated Options
Bring Over Starred Options: You can import pre-populated choices from the original ballot. Options include importing starred entries, a specific number of entries, or all nominees.
Final Voting Settings: For final voting, disable write-ins to ensure voters select from the pre-populated list only.
6. Converting to Final Voting
Review all settings to ensure they meet your requirements.
Click the "Convert" button. Allow time for the conversion process.
Confirm the New Ballot: Once the conversion is complete, check the ballots list to see your new ballot.
7. Final Adjustments and Publishing
Click "Edit" on the new Ballot to ensure the new ballot has a slug, name, and other necessary details.
Once all settings are confirmed, save the ballot.
8. Viewing the Final Ballot
View the draft ballot to confirm that everything is in order.
Navigate to a group, select a category, and verify the options are correct and ready for final voting.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can smoothly transition your ballot from the nominations phase to the final voting period. Ensure all settings are properly configured to provide a seamless voting experience for participants.
For further assistance, please reach out to us at support@cityspark.com.