The Vote component lets your school run a School Governing Body (SGB) election directly from d6 Communicator, with a candidate list, a voting deadline, and results tracked in one place. This article is for administrators with messaging rights. It covers activating the feature, building the voter group, and sending the ballot.

Messages → New → Vote

What do I need before I start?

• Provincial approval: Confirm with your District or Province that electronic voting is permitted for your election. d6 is on the accredited list for SGB e-elections.

• Feature activation: The Vote component is not enabled by default. Contact the d6 Support Desk at support@d6ed.co.za to have it activated on your portal.

• Candidate list: Prepare the final candidate list as a PDF so it can be attached to the ballot message.

How do I set up the voter group?

Create a dedicated group so the ballot reaches only eligible voters.

1. Go to Groups and click Add.

2. Name the group clearly, for example SGB Election 2027.

3. Add the parents and staff members who are eligible to vote.

4. Save the group.

How do I send the ballot?

1. Go to Messages and click New.

2. Add a Text component explaining the election, who may vote, and when voting closes.

3. Add a File component and upload the candidate list. Files can be up to 50MB each.

4. Add the Vote component and capture each candidate as an option.

5. Set the voting deadline. Voting closes automatically at that date and time.

6. Select the SGB election group as the recipient.

7. Send the message.

How do I see the results?

Open the election message from Messages and select the Vote component to view the tally and the response rate. Use the response rate to check whether your required quorum has been met.

Frequently asked questions

Why can I not see the Vote option when building a message?

The Vote component is switched off by default. Contact the d6 Support Desk at support@d6ed.co.za and ask for it to be activated on your portal.

Can a parent vote more than once?

No. Each voter may submit one response to the Vote component, which protects the integrity of the ballot.

Can a parent who joins the group after the ballot was sent still vote?

Yes. Members who join the group later can still see the message and vote, provided the deadline has not passed.

Is electronic voting allowed for our SGB election?

d6 is on the accredited list for SGB e-elections, but you must confirm with your own District or Province that electronic voting is permitted before you run the election.

Who do I contact if something goes wrong during the election?

Contact the d6 Support Desk on 087 820 0088 or support@d6ed.co.za. Do not delete and resend the ballot without advice, as a new ballot means every voter must vote again.