Toastmasters - UK and Ireland :: Toastmasters - UK and Ireland :: How to create a Poll
Author malcolmw Date 01 Jan 07, 08:29 Views 3096
Keywords
Description Creating a posting in your club discussion forum that contains a 'poll' allowing members to vote on a subject.
Article scope
easy-Speak information

How to create a Poll 

Each club has a 'discussion forum' available to it which is only visible to members of the club (all status of members including past members and visitors).
This forum can be used for discussion on whatever subjects are topical - a change of meeting format or venue or whatever you choose.
The format of a discussion forum will be familar to many but, in summary:

    Someone starts a new topic
    Other reply or add further comment
    The complete history of the discussion is visible on-line
    You may request to be advised by e-mail of new postings
    etc

At the bottom of the screen to create a new topic there are options to create a poll. (These are only available if you are a club-administrator)

Use these options to create a topic which gives members the opportunity to vote on an issue.
Only 'full members' of the club may vote (please refer to the member status in the Knowledgebase for more information on this)

Use a topic subject that is meaningful when a member scans through the list of topics in the forum
Fill in the message body with an explanation of the issue
Enter a 'Poll question' that will show at the top of the screen (e.g. 'Which do you prefer for our next social event?'
Enter each of the 'Poll options' that you want members to be able to choose between (e.g. 'A river trip' and 'Theatre')
Press the 'Add option' button each time you add new text. If you have three options you will have to press it three times.
There will always be a blank 'Poll option' box at the bottom of your list of choices.
If you wish to allow members to choose more than one option (e.g. two out of three) enter the maximum number of choices in the 'Maximum selections' box. Leave it blank or enter a '1' if they should only have one choice.
If the poll is to run for a specified time, use the selection boxes to set the cutoff time.
If you wish to hide the results until the time is up (normally yes), tick the 'Hide results until poll expires' box.
If you do not want the number and list of members who have voted so far to display, tick the 'and number of votes' box too.

Full members of the club will be able to vote on this subject up to the cut-off time. The results will not be visible until after the cut-off time if you have selected that choice.
I suggest that you make members aware of the poll by sending them an e-mail (using the Club E-mail screen) and post a link that will take them directly to the topic into the body of the e-mail.
To add a link to an e-mail message:

    Open the screen that is of interest
    Use your mouse to select the URL in your browser's navigation bar.
    Hold and press 'C' to copy this text
    Create your e-mail
    Hold and press 'V' to paste in the text.

A link will look something like this:
https://toastmasterclub.org/kb.php?mode=article&k=41