Save and Clone Elections
How To: Save and Clone Elections
Overview
UrVote automatically saves election progress while administrators work, allowing elections to be edited, reused, or managed without risk of losing setup changes. Administrators can also clone existing elections to quickly create new ones using a previous structure.
This guide explains how elections are saved and how to use the cloning feature to duplicate election setups.
When You Would Use This
Saving and cloning elections is useful when:
- Creating recurring elections with similar formats
- Reusing question structures or candidate layouts
- Running elections on a regular schedule
- Managing multiple elections with similar configurations
- Preventing loss of progress while editing
Automatic saving ensures administrators can safely leave and return without losing work.
Step-by-Step: Automatic Saving
- Open or create an election in the election editor.
- Make changes such as editing questions, adding options, or adjusting settings.
- UrVote automatically saves changes as they are made.
- Return later through the Elections dashboard to continue editing if needed.
No manual save action is required.
Step-by-Step: Cloning an Election
- Open the Elections dashboard.
- Locate the election you want to reuse.
- Select Options for that election.
- Choose Clone Election.
- A new draft election will be created using the same structure.
- Edit the cloned election as needed before publishing.
Cloning saves time when running recurring or similar elections.
Additional Options Available
From the Options menu, administrators can also:
- Retrieve the election QR code
- End an active election
- Delete draft elections
- Clone election setups
Note: Published elections cannot be deleted to preserve election records.
Tips & Best Practices
- Clone elections for recurring votes or annual elections.
- Review candidate names and dates after cloning.
- Keep drafts organized to avoid confusion.
- Rename cloned elections clearly before publishing.
Common Questions
Do I need to manually save my election? No. Changes are automatically saved.
Can I clone a live or closed election? Yes. Cloning copies structure, not results.
Can published elections be deleted? No. Published elections cannot be deleted.
Next Steps
After cloning or editing elections, administrators may want to:
- Preview the election flow
- Set election end dates
- Publish and invite voters