Election of the CSE by electronic voting: procedures
The election of CSE representatives can now be carried out by electronic voting if a company agreement, or in the absence of an agreement, the employer, so decides.
The procedures for implementing electronic voting, whether at the workplace or remotely, are set out in the regulations. articles R. 2314-5 to R. 2314-18 of the Labour Code. A set of specifications relating to electronic voting must be drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the above articles and communicated to employees in the workplace.
Electronic voting must not exclude anyone from the ballot. It is therefore the employer’s responsibility to ensure that all employees have access to the equipment and connection required to vote electronically. Moreover, electronic voting does not necessarily exclude voting in envelopes.
CSE elections: how to set up electronic voting?
The design and organization of electronic voting can be carried out in-house or by an external service provider, in compliance with the specifications:
- respect for data confidentiality: electoral lists, voters’ lists, votes;
- the system must be sealable when the ballot is opened and closed;
- the system must first be verified by an independent body and made available to the CNIL;
- the system must be secure.
Using an external HR consultant to set up CSE elections using electronic voting
If the organization of the electronic vote is entrusted to an external service provider, such as an HR consultant, then the latter will be responsible for drawing up the back-planning and coordinating all stages of the electoral calendar, from negotiation of the electoral protocol to the proclamation of the results and drafting of the CSE election minutes. It is also responsible for ensuring the legal compliance of election organization. For existing HR departments, entrusting the organization of elections to an external service provider with extensive experience in this field ensures that the elections are carried out in compliance with regulations, and provides peace of mind by freeing them from this time-consuming obligation, allowing them to concentrate on their usual tasks.
The advantages of electronic voting for CSE elections
L’
he organization of elections for members of the CSE
elections has a number of advantages over traditional paper ballots.
Organization and logistics
Firstly, online voting is much simpler to organize than physical voting on site. With e-voting, there’s no need for a dedicated voting room, booths or employees to man the polling station and count the votes. The fact that votes are collected and counted entirely online also means that there are no errors in ballot counting. Thanks to electronic voting, the proclamation of results is almost instantaneous following the close of polling. Gone are the problems of crossed-out, blank or invalid ballot papers; everything is made easier by online voting, and in just a few minutes the cerfa forms are printed out with the results.
Security
Security is even more important in electronic voting than in face-to-face voting. Beyond the risk of error, which is totally eliminated, all data is secure. Seals at the opening and closing of the ballot are made online, and only those holding the polling station have the password.
Simplicity and flexibility
Electronic voting greatly simplifies the organization of CSE elections. No need to be on site to vote, employees can vote from wherever they like. This simplifies the organization of elections for companies with several sites and a large number of telecommuting or itinerant employees. Employees can even vote during their vacations. Access to voting is not restricted by any timetable, and employees can vote whenever they like, even at night. Finally, they can vote using the device of their choice – smartphone, computer, tablet – which also makes voting easier.
Commitment
Finally, enabling employees to vote online improves the turnout rate. The duration of the vote is determined in advance, and votes can be opened over several days. As a result, we are seeing greater commitment from employees, who no longer have any excuse for not taking part in the election. What’s more, by reaching a larger number of employees, they feel more involved with the CSE.
Savings
Electronic voting brings modernity, simplifies voting and saves time. With electronic voting, there’s no longer any need to convene employees and hold physical polling stations for hours on end, to print, cut and prepare ballot papers, to rent ballot boxes and booths, and to count votes for hours on end, mobilizing employees. Organizing elections by electronic voting also generates significant savings.
How are CSE elections conducted using electronic voting?
The electoral timetable remains the same as for traditional elections, so you need to start at least 2 months before the end of the current mandate to carry out all the stages prior to the ballot (informing employees, negotiating the memorandum of understanding, communicating electoral lists, launching calls for candidates…).
Electronic voting then takes place, for each round of voting, over a defined period, which may be several days.
To connect to the voting system, voters must identify themselves using the authentication method provided. This guarantees confidentiality and the uniqueness of the vote.
