How MeshVote Works

What Is MeshVote?

MeshVote is an app that lets members vote at large in-person gatherings using their phones or Macs. Devices form a wireless network using Bluetooth, passing votes from device to device with no central server or internet connection. It's built for the kinds of decisions organizations make together: elections, motions, amendments, and nominations from the floor.

How Does It Work?

An administrator creates a group; members join by scanning a QR code. The administrator opens a poll with the question and options — including an optional abstain choice. Members tap their choice on their phones. Votes relay across the room via Bluetooth in seconds. The administrator closes the poll; the final tally is locked and distributed to every device. Polls can be prepared in advance or imported in bulk from a spreadsheet.

How Votes Travel Between Devices

Phones communicate directly via Bluetooth — the same technology behind wireless speakers. Each phone is both a sender and a receiver, forming a "mesh network." No Wi-Fi needed. More members means stronger coverage. No single point of failure. For extra range in large venues, a dedicated Android device can run in relay mode — continuously rebroadcasting messages without participating in voting.

Two Transports, One Network

The Bluetooth mesh carries every vote, poll, and chat message in real time between phones in the room. By default, MeshVote also relays events through encrypted cloud storage to speed up propagation and reach segments of isolated devices — Network Sync. Events are end-to-end encrypted with your group's invite key, which is never sent to our servers. If you'd rather stay fully offline, an admin can create the group with Network Sync off; that group then runs pure BLE. And in groups running Network Sync, Bluetooth Sync can be toggled off and on later from group settings — a group always keeps at least one transport.

Security & Integrity

• Digitally signed votes — each device has a unique cryptographic key. Altered votes are automatically rejected.
• Encrypted cloud relay alongside the mesh — votes always live on members' own devices. By default, an encrypted cloud relay runs in parallel for instant catch-up; admins can create groups with it off for fully offline operation. Events are end-to-end encrypted with your group's invite key, and tamper detection works regardless of transport.
• One vote per device — enforced across the entire network, not just locally.
• Results are final — once a poll closes, the tally is sealed. Late or post-close votes are rejected by timestamp.
• No internet exposure — the system is unreachable by remote attackers.
• Optional geofencing — restrict voting to members physically within a geographic boundary you define.

Transparency & Accountability

Votes are linked to device identities (cryptographic keys, not names) — making every vote verifiable and auditable, similar to a roll-call vote. Results can be exported to spreadsheet, CSV, or JSON for permanent records.

Who Controls What?

Administrators: open and close polls, approve join requests, edit group settings, and use presenter mode to display results on a large screen. Groups can have multiple admins — share an admin invite to add one, and an existing member who scans it is promoted in place. Admins cannot alter votes. Member: votes on polls, participates in group chat, and passively relays others' votes.

How Members Join

Two ways to invite members. One-time invites (default): the administrator opens an invite screen, members scan a QR code, and the admin approves each request. The QR is fresh each session and can be saved to share via email or text message. Best for assemblies that need a credentialed roster. Reusable member invites: a permanent QR code or link you can print on a flyer or show on a projector — and any member of the group can open and share it, not just admins. Anyone in the room can scan and join — either approved by any online admin (not just whoever created the invite), or instantly. Best for casual gatherings, classrooms, and large open assemblies. Reusable invites are available on Rally and Enterprise plans.

Communication During Sessions

MeshVote includes a built-in group chat that travels over the same Bluetooth mesh as votes — no internet or separate messaging app required. Messages are ephemeral and are not stored on any server. Administrators are marked with a badge so members can identify official communications.

Notifications

Every group notifies you. Groups with Network Sync send a push notification to every member the moment a poll opens or a chat message arrives — even when the app is closed — encrypted end-to-end with your group's invite key, so our servers can't read them. Bluetooth-only groups show a notification banner on your device the moment a new poll or message arrives over Bluetooth — no server involved, nothing leaves the room. Either way, you can mute any group individually.

What You Need

Smartphones or Macs with Bluetooth, the MeshVote app installed, one admin device, and a QR code to share. No Wi-Fi, special hardware, or accounts required.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can someone vote twice? No — one vote per device per poll, network-wide.
• Phone dies? Earlier votes already relayed and counted.
• Change results after close? Impossible — cryptographically sealed.
• Large venue? Yes — designed for thousands; the mesh scales with attendance. For multi-room venues or large halls with Bluetooth coverage gaps, Network Sync (on by default) adds an encrypted cloud relay alongside the mesh for extra resilience.
• Cloud storage? By default, every group runs Network Sync — votes propagate over Bluetooth and through encrypted cloud storage in parallel, so late joiners catch up instantly and isolated segments stay in sync. Events are end-to-end encrypted with your group's invite key, which is never sent to our servers. Admins who'd rather stay fully offline can create groups with Network Sync off; that group then runs pure BLE and nothing leaves the room.
• Group chat? Yes — built-in Bluetooth mesh chat for real-time coordination during sessions.
• Notifications? Yes — every group. Network Sync groups get an end-to-end-encrypted push when a poll opens or a chat message arrives; Bluetooth-only groups show an on-device banner the moment it arrives over Bluetooth.
• Announcements? Yes — admins can set a standing group announcement; members see it once each time it's updated. Works in every group, including Bluetooth-only ones.
• Geofencing? Optional — define a geographic boundary to ensure only physically present members can vote.
• Can members abstain? Yes — polls can include an abstain option.