Social & Networking
How to run a member poll and share results
A good member poll depends on a clear question, a fair way to respond and an honest report back. This guide walks through those decisions with a worked example and no special software.
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Step one: define the decision and the question
Start by stating what will change depending on the answer. Example: a community garden association with 120 members must choose between Saturday morning and Wednesday evening work sessions. Write one question, offer two or three mutually exclusive options and add a short line explaining that the board will follow the majority. Avoid combining topics, such as schedule and fees, in one question. Set a closing date, decide whether answers are anonymous and tell members how many days they have. A poll tied to a real decision gets more thoughtful responses than a general opinion check.
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Step two: collect responses fairly
Next, make participation easy and credible. For the garden association, send the poll by the channels members already read, include the deadline in the first sentence and allow one response per member. Offer a paper option for those who do not use email, and have a volunteer enter those answers. Send one reminder halfway through and another a day before closing. Resist changing the wording after responses begin, because early and late answers then cannot be compared. Record how many members were invited and how many replied so the result can be put in proper context.
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Step three: publish results and follow up
When the poll closes, share results within a few days. Show the question, the options, the count for each, the number invited and the response rate. In the garden example, report that sixty-eight members replied and Wednesday evening received forty-one votes, then state the board's decision and start date. Mention any comments that surfaced concerns, such as parking or childcare, and say what will happen with them. Close by noting when the next poll might occur. Reporting back plainly teaches members that responding matters, which raises participation the next time.