For private organizations, secure online voting has gained widespread acceptance. In stark contrast, online voting has not widely used for public, governmental elections, due to perceived security concerns. This does not contradict the fact that offline electronic voting is indeed gaining popularity in many jurisdictions. Most interested parties who have looked into online voting systems have opined that these systems are more than secure enough for private organizations and companies. Industry leaders have developed online voting software that is private, secure and protective of voting anonymity. This type of software is currently used by a dizzying array of organizations. Each year, software professionals produce a better, more secure online voting system.

Although relatively new, online voting services have already achieved a solid place in the corporate toolkit. In times past, managers were often seen as dictatorial. Corporate histories show many egregious examples of corporate leaders who showed a stunning disregard for company morale or opinion. In the wake of many investigations, accusations and corporate crises, managers are learning to use a more nuanced approach when it comes to employee relations. In order to establish a stronger rapport with rank-and-file workers, management teams have embraced the ritual of voting. In many cases, these votes merely reflect opinion and do not have a real bearing on the outcome of events.

Non-profit organizations are far more likely to utilize secure online voting to make real, binding decisions. It should come as little surprise that non-profit groups often show a stronger affinity for the democratic process. After all, many non-profits are understaffed, underfunded and struggling to survive. In this uncertain environment, organization members can hardly be expected to follow blindly. It is impossible to say if or when online voting will ever com