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Electronic Voting in the Body Corporate Strata Industry

Electronic voting in strata meetings has gained popularity due to its convenience and efficiency. As with all online services, consumers should be aware of how their privacy and cybersecurity is being addressed and that it is compliant with Australian laws.

Australia’s privacy laws are primarily governed by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This act regulates how personal information is handled by government agencies and many private sector organisations.

Key principles under the Privacy Act include:

  • Collection: Personal information must be collected by lawful and fair means.
  • Use and Disclosure: Only to be used or disclosed for the primary purpose for which it was collected, unless an exception applies.
  • Data Quality and Security: Entities must ensure personal information is accurate, complete, and secure.
  • Access and Correction: Individuals have the right to access and correct their personal information.
  • Data Privacy: Ensuring that personal information (e.g. voter identities, contact details) is protected in accordance with the Privacy Act.
  • Data Security: Implementing measures to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the voting process.
  • Transparency and Fairness: Ensuring the voting process is transparent and fair, with accurate recording and reporting of results.

Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information:

It is important from a voting and security perspective that your Personal Information is up to date. If you have changed your mobile number or email address that was previously registered with your strata manager, you can do any of the following to update your details:

  • Log on to your personal Vote Now page and edit/update your information directly.
  • Or, you can contact your strata manager and inform them that you need to update your contact details. This will then sync within 24 hours with the Vote Now platform.
  • If you’re still having trouble, just email [email protected] and a Vote Now team member will work though this with you.

How does Vote Now ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations?

Data Collection and Use:

  • Consent: Ensures that voters provide informed consent for the collection and use of their personal information.
  • Purpose Limitation: Uses personal information solely for the purposes of conducting the vote and related communication.

Data Security:

  • Encryption: Uses robust encryption methods to protect data in transit and at rest.
  • Access Controls: Implements strict access controls to ensure that only authorised personnel can access sensitive information.
  • Regular Audits: Conducts regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Data Quality and Retention:

  •  Accuracy: Ensures that personal information is accurate and up-to-date.
  •  Retention Policies: Adopts clear data retention policies to keep personal information only as long as necessary for the voting process and in compliance with legal obligations.

Transparency and Accountability:

  •  Clear Policies: Provides clear privacy policies and terms of use to inform voters about how their data will be handled.
  •  Audit Trails: Maintains detailed audit trails to ensure the integrity of the voting process and to enable verification if needed.

User Rights:

  •  Access and Correction: Facilitates voter access to their personal information and allows them to correct any inaccuracies.
  • Complaints Handling: Implements a process for handling privacy-related complaints and resolving issues promptly.

In summary:

The integration of electronic voting in the Australian strata industry requires careful consideration of privacy and security concerns. By achieving ISO Certification for
ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and ISO 27001:2022 Information Security, Vote Now became the only electronic certified strata voting platform in Australia! You can have peace of mind that we are an internationally certified company plus, Vote Now is the only platform that has passed the bank grade test and integrates with the management software system used by your Hbcm/Hlss manager!

Vote Now has adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The NPPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.

And that’s a good thing, because the Vote Now approach not only aligns with Australian privacy laws, but it also builds trust among voters. It promotes broader acceptance and adoption of electronic voting. After all, our voting future is in the palm of our hands. Have you downloaded the Vote Now smartphone app yet? Available in Google Play and Apple Stores. FYI: A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.aoic.gov.au