Zoom Polls Alternative
for Real Elections
Zoom Polls are fine for a quick show of hands during a meeting. But if your board vote, HOA ballot, or student election needs ranked choice, anonymous ballots, and an audit trail — you need a purpose-built voting platform that works outside the meeting. TapVoter is free and handles all of it.
Two tools, two different jobs
TapVoter — Real Elections
A purpose-built voting platform for board elections, HOA ballots, union votes, and student government. Works anywhere — no meeting required. Ranked choice, anonymous ballots, audit trail, 30 languages. Free.
- Voters cast ballots on their own schedule
- Unique access codes keep votes anonymous and duplicate-proof
- Audit log for inspectors and minute-takers
Zoom Polls — Meeting Check-Ins
Built into the Zoom meeting UI for a quick poll during a call. Everyone has to be in the meeting to answer. Fine for sentiment checks — not designed for binding, auditable elections.
- Quick to spin up mid-meeting
- No ranked choice, STAR, or approval voting
- No formal audit trail or voter roll
Feature-by-Feature
| Feature | TapVoter | Zoom Polls |
|---|---|---|
| Works outside a live meeting | ||
| Ranked Choice Voting (IRV) | ||
| STAR & Approval voting | ||
| Anonymous voter access codes | Limited | |
| Prevents duplicate voting | Limited | |
| Voter roll / eligibility control | ||
| Audit trail for organizers | ||
| 30 languages (full ballot) | ||
| Up to 10,000 voters (free) | ||
| Integrated with a Zoom meeting UI |
Use Zoom Polls WITH TapVoter
These tools aren't mutually exclusive. Use Zoom Polls for quick sentiment checks during a meeting, and TapVoter for the binding election that follows.
Before the Meeting
Announce the vote in your board meeting notice with a link to TapVoter. Voters get access codes by email.
During the Meeting
Use Zoom Polls for straw polls and sentiment checks. Share the TapVoter ballot link in chat so members can vote during — or after — the call.
After the Meeting
TapVoter keeps voting open after the call ends. Export a CSV + audit log for your minutes.
Common questions
Can Zoom Polls run a ranked choice election?
No — Zoom Polls only supports single-choice and multiple-choice questions during a meeting. For ranked choice, STAR, approval, or multi-winner voting, TapVoter is a free alternative.
Can Zoom Polls keep votes anonymous and auditable?
Zoom Polls have limited anonymity and no formal audit trail. TapVoter issues unique voter access codes, preserves anonymity, and keeps an audit trail for organizers.
Is TapVoter free?
Yes — TapVoter is free forever with unlimited elections and up to 10,000 voters per election.
Run your next vote outside the meeting
Unlimited elections, 5 voting methods, 30 languages, and an audit-ready result. Free forever.
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