Tool 11: Information on running a PB process
Description
It is usual at the Deliberate and Decide stage of a participatory budgeting process to hold a voting process. There will be a number of things to consider. These might include whether the vote happens face to face or online, over an extended period or at a specific event. These should all be considered by the co-design team and shared with those making proposals, and of course those voting.
One of the hardest decisions is how many votes, and of what value should each participant be given. This is discussed further on the next page. Adopting the right voting system can aid deliberation and fairness.
There is no right answer, but experience shows there are various design considerations between which you might choose. Which is chosen should be based on your own situation and agreed and ideally tested before the day to avoid mistakes.