Following the installation of IML's ultramodern electronic voting system in 2001, The Law Society commissioned IML once more to design a portable electronic voting system with integrated microphones and wireless load speaker capabilities.  

 

Client background

Previously, The Law Society Council had operated a 'show of hands’ voting system to capture their members’ votes. This rendered Council meetings inefficient and slow, as votes had to be manually counted and verified before results could be released.

 

A further drawback to a ‘show of hands’ voting system was that manually counted results could not be proven 100% accurate.

 

Recognising the need for an electronic voting system that could automate voting and guarantee instant and accurate results, The Law Society approached IML to design and install a system into the prestigious Law Society Hall.

 

By 2005 however, the Society had increased its membership from 70 to 100 and Council meetings had to be relocated to a larger room that could accommodate all members.

 

Still needing to engage an electronic voting system, the Law Society called upon the services of IML once more; this time with a new and challenging brief.

 

The challenge

Installing an electronic voting system into the new meeting room was not an option, as an installation would affect the architectural heritage of the room, which is primarily used for private functions and ceremonies.

 

The Law Society also found that the grandness of the room made it difficult for members’ to hear each other during Council debates and discussions.

 

IML were therefore tasked with designing a portable electronic voting and microphone system that was fast and easy to set-up and dismantle.

 

Voting

As part of the original installation design brief, IML developed unique voting software to automate the Law Society’s long established voting practices.

 

Members’ simply use their keypad to register a vote by pressing 1, 2 or 3 on their keypad. These numbers correlate with the options presented to them on screen. For example 1 = For, 2 = Against and 3 = Abstain.

 

Once Members have cast their vote, a message instantly appears on their keypad screen, confirming that their vote has been successfully registered by the system.

 

A seating plan shown on the main AV screen displays a ‘V’ over members’ seats, signifying that they have cast their vote. This also provides further confirmation that votes have been registered.

 

The seating plan is displayed in reverse to the Chairman, who is able to see how many members are still left to vote.

 

Immediately after the vote has closed, the results appear at the top of the Chairman’s screen and are displayed live, in chart form to the audience, with results for ‘For’ and ‘Against’ worked out as a percentage that excludes abstained voting figures.

 

The system also facilitates identified voting, instead of a ‘V’ appearing over each seat when members have voted, the letters ‘A’ (Against), ‘F’ (For) or the symbol ‘?’ (Abstain) appears over the seats to indicate how each member has voted.

 

Members are allocated to a specific seat and are identified by their seat number.

 

A full audit trail of voting is made available, alongside printed scoreboards, detailing every members vote per motion.

 

Microphones

IML integrated microphone and loud speaker capabilities into the electronic voting system using the in-built microphone feature on the keypads.

 

The system requires no loud speakers or cables. Instead, members sit three to a table with a fourth IML keypad used as a loud speaker.

 

Members wishing to speak, simply invoke the press to talk button on their keypad and address the Council by either speaking into their keypad or using a tie-clip microphone.

 

As soon as a members’ microphone is activated, the fourth keypad on their table automatically mutes to prevent feedback.

 

A picture of the speaker automatically appears on the main AV screen, enabling members to see who is speaking, whilst indicating to the speaker that their microphone is live.

 

A countdown clock running on the Chairman’s screen provides the Chairman with greater control over debates and ensures that members do not speak beyond their allotted time limit. If another member wishes to interject, the Chairman can pause the speakers’ clock and re-start it after the interjection.

 

IML’s microphone system has transformed the Law Society’s debating methods into a faster, fairer, more democratic process, as all members have equal access to a microphone and time limits ensure more members are given an opportunity to speak.

 

Other benefits

• IML’s mobile voting system is compact, lightweight and easy to transport.
• Keypads are re-charged in their storage boxes, saving time and space.
• Full audit reports can be printed at the end of the meeting.
• The system has the ability to record speeches.