Building Trust in Global Governance: How the International Council on Archives Runs Its Annual General Assembly with Secure Online Voting

Introduction – Trust at the Core of Global Governance

“Archives are the memory of nations and societies. They shape identity and are a cornerstone of the information society.”

This statement perfectly captures the mission of the International Council on Archives (ICA): preserving collective memory and strengthening trust in institutions worldwide.

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With more than 2,000 members across 149 countries, ICA brings together archival professionals and institutions around a fundamental question:

Can we trust archives?

Trust lies at the heart of ICA’s mission — and naturally extends to its own governance. Each year, the ICA General Assembly is a key moment of transparency and democratic decision-making, requiring processes that are secure, inclusive, verifiable, and representative on a global scale.

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Choosing a Secure and Accessible Online Voting Solution

After several disappointing experiences with other online voting platforms — often too rigid, unreliable, or poorly suited to an international audience — ICA was looking for a solution that could combine:

• Ease of use for a global membership
• High security and auditability
• Expert support before, during, and after the vote

ICA selected Voteer to organize a hybrid General Assembly, bringing together members on-site in Barcelona and remotely via Zoom, using a single, secure online voting platform.

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To learn more about the secure online voting solution used by international organizations, explore the Voteer platform.

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A Hybrid General Assembly: In-Person and Remote Participation

ICA’s objective was clear: enable all members to participate equally, regardless of location, while maintaining the same level of reliability and security.

With Voteer, the distinction between in-person participants and remote participants was handled seamlessly. Attendance tracking, proxy management, online voting, and Q&A were centralized within a single, intuitive platform, ensuring a smooth and consistent experience for all participants worldwide.

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Voteer supports multiple online voting formats, designed for hybrid General Assemblies and global organizations.

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Key Features Supporting Transparent Global Governance

The General Assembly relied on several core Voteer features:

• Digital attendance tracking with QR code, enabling fast and verifiable check-in for on-site participants
• Targeted email reminders to maximize international participation
• Flexible proxy management, fully compliant with ICA’s representation rules
• Q&A opened at the time of the official notice, encouraging early and transparent debate
• Live online voting, accessible simultaneously in Barcelona and via Zoom
• Real-time vote counting and result sharing, both in the room and online
• Backstage access, giving ICA full autonomy to monitor and manage the event in real time

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Operational and Technical Support at Every Stage

Voteer’s team supported ICA before, during, and after the General Assembly, including on-site assistance in Barcelona to ensure perfect coordination between local and remote teams.

Every step — from AGM preparation to result publication — was anticipated, tested, and secured, providing ICA with full peace of mind.

“Organizing our General Assembly with Voteer was a smooth and reassuring experience. The platform allowed us to manage every stage, from Q&A to online voting, with outstanding simplicity and reliability. This end-to-end support, fully aligned with our mission of trust and transparency, made all the difference.” — Clémence Almeras, Website and IT Coordinator, International Council on Archives

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Results: Transparency, Efficiency, and Trust at a Global Scale

The General Assembly ran flawlessly, with a high participation rate and a smooth live voting process. Results were shared instantly both in Barcelona and online, reinforcing member confidence in the decision-making process.

After two unsatisfactory experiences with other providers, ICA found in Voteer a partner fully aligned with its standards — a solution that embodies the same values upheld by the Council itself: trust, transparency, and the reliable preservation of proof.