Votem vs. Survey & Ballot Systems
Votem vs. Survey & Ballot Systems: Which Platform Delivers True Compliance?
Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) has served unions for decades. Votem's CastIron® platform brings SOC 2 Type II certification, AI fraud detection, and a $50K compliance guarantee that SBS cannot match.
🔒Security CertificationSBS does not publish SOC 2 Type II certification. Votem is SOC 2 Type II certified and has undergone DHS/CISA security review — the highest independent security validation in the industry.
🤖Modern TechnologySBS was built for a pre-cloud era. Votem's CastIron® platform uses AI fraud detection, real-time anomaly flagging, and a modern API-first architecture.
💰Financial GuaranteeSBS offers no financial guarantee on compliance outcomes. Votem backs every election with a $50,000 compliance guarantee — the only such guarantee in the industry.
⚡Rapid DeploymentVotem's FastStrike™ service deploys strike authorization votes in 72 hours. SBS's traditional process takes significantly longer.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | Votem CastIron® | Survey & Ballot Systems |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 2 Type II Certified | ✓ | ✗ |
| DHS/CISA Security Review | ✓ | ✗ |
| $50,000 Compliance Guarantee | ✓ | ✗ |
| Full-Service Managed Elections | ✓ | Partial |
| LMRDA Title IV Compliance (Labor Unions) | ✓ | ✓ |
| NCUA Part 701 Compliance (Credit Unions) | ✓ | Partial |
| ERISA Trustee Election Compliance | ✓ | Partial |
| Online Voting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Phone Voting via IVR | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mail Ballot via Certified Print Partner | ✓ | ✓ |
| AI Fraud Detection & Anomaly Flagging | ✓ | ✗ |
| Board-Defensible Election File (Auto-Generated) | ✓ | Manual |
| DOL / NCUA / ERISA Audit Documentation | ✓ | Partial |
| 72-Hour Strike Vote Deployment | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nomination Management (End-to-End) | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dedicated Election Compliance Team | ✓ | Partial |
| 24/7 Voter Support Hotline | ✓ | Business hours |
| WCAG 2.1 AA Accessibility | ✓ | Partial |
| Multilingual Ballots (50+ languages) | ✓ | Limited |
| Real-Time Participation Dashboard | ✓ | Basic |
| Certified Results with Chain of Custody | ✓ | Partial |
| Zero Security Breaches (Track Record) | ✓ | Unknown |
Feature data based on publicly available information from Survey & Ballot Systems' website as of April 2026. Contact us if any information requires updating.
Which Platform Is Right for You?
Choose Votem if you…
✓Require SOC 2 Type II certified infrastructure
✓Need AI fraud detection and real-time anomaly flagging
✓Want a $50K compliance guarantee on every election
✓Need 72-hour strike vote deployment capability
✓Require end-to-end nomination management
✓Want modern technology with a proven compliance track record
SBS may work if you…
→Have a long-standing relationship with SBS and are not facing compliance scrutiny
→Run primarily mail ballot elections with minimal online component
→Do not require SOC 2 certification or AI fraud detection
Client Stories
What Compliance Officers Say About Votem
Organizations that switched from self-service platforms to Votem's fully managed service.
"The DOL came knocking six weeks after our officer election. Votem handed us a complete audit file the same day. The investigator closed the inquiry in two weeks. Without that documentation, we'd have been in serious trouble."
SM
Sandra M.
Secretary-Treasurer, Steelworkers Local 1247
Labor Union
"We switched from a self-service platform after our 2021 election was challenged. The difference with Votem is night and day — they handle everything, the audit trail is automatic, and our NCUA examiner was satisfied on the first review."
JR
James R.
CEO, Horizon Federal Credit Union
Credit Union
"Votem ran our trustee election and our nomination process end-to-end. The nomination portal alone saved us three weeks of administrative work. Members could self-nominate, we could verify eligibility, and the whole record was preserved automatically."
PL
Patricia L.
Plan Administrator, Building Trades Pension Fund
Pension Fund