Session Cloning
Duplicate an existing voting session to reuse its configuration for testing, recurring meetings, or as a starting template. Save time and reduce setup errors.
What is Session Cloning?
Session cloning creates a complete copy of a voting session's configuration as a new DRAFT session within the same organization. The clone includes all questions, answer options, voting rules, schedule settings, and email templates from the original.
The cloned session starts with a clean slate: no voters, no ballots, no invitations, and no activity history. This makes it safe to use for dry runs before a live event, or as a reusable blueprint for meetings that follow the same format year after year.
The original session is never modified. Cloning is a read-only operation on the source session, so there is no risk to an in-progress or completed vote.
What Gets Copied
The following fields and data are duplicated into the new session:
- Session name (with " (Copy)" appended)
- Session type (Live Meeting or Scheduled Election)
- Description
- Start time and end time
- Timezone
- Early voting start time (if configured)
- Question titles, descriptions, and display order
- Question type (yes/no, multiple choice, ranked choice, etc.)
- Candidates and answer options
- Max votes, min selection, and max votes per option
- Pass threshold, number of seats, and voting rule
- Allow early voting and randomize options toggles
- Custom invitation email subject and body (if configured)
- Custom reminder email subject and body (if configured)
- If no custom templates were set on the source, the clone inherits organization or system defaults, just like a new session
What Does NOT Get Copied
The following data is intentionally excluded from the clone to ensure a clean starting point:
- Voter roll: No voters are carried over. You start with an empty roster and can import a new list or add voters manually.
- Ballots and votes: All voting data stays with the original session. The clone has zero ballots.
- Invitations: Invitation records are tied to specific voters and are not transferred.
- Email and SMS job history: Send logs, delivery status, and bounce records belong to the original session.
- Activity and audit logs: Admin actions and session events are not copied. The clone gets a fresh audit entry recording who cloned it and when.
- Session status: Regardless of the source session's state (DRAFT, LIVE, EARLY VOTING, or ENDED), the clone always starts in DRAFT.
- Question status: All cloned questions are reset to STANDBY, even if they were OPEN or CLOSED in the source.
Why no voters? This is by design. It allows you to clone a live session for a safe dry run without affecting real voters, or reuse a session template for a new meeting with an entirely different voter list.
How to Clone a Session
Open the session you want to clone
Navigate to the voting session in your admin dashboard. You can clone any session regardless of its current status.
Click the Clone button
In the session settings or actions area, click the "Clone Session" button. VoteAlly validates that your organization has not reached its session limit before proceeding.
Review the new session
You are redirected to the newly created session, which is named after the original with " (Copy)" appended. It is in DRAFT status with all questions, settings, and email templates carried over.
Customize as needed
Rename the session, adjust dates and times, modify questions, or update email templates. The clone is a fully independent session, so any changes you make do not affect the original.
Add voters and launch
Import your voter list, send invitations, and proceed with the session as you normally would. The clone is ready to go live whenever you are.
Common Use Cases
Testing before going live
Clone your production session, add a handful of test voters, and run through the entire voting flow. Verify that questions display correctly, vote counts work as expected, and results tally properly. Once you are satisfied, discard the test clone and launch the original. This is especially useful before high-stakes AGM votes where mistakes are not an option.
Recurring annual meetings
Many associations run the same meeting format each year: board elections, budget approval, bylaw amendments. Clone last year's session, update the dates, swap in the new candidate list, and import the current voter roll. You keep the question structure, voting rules, and email templates without rebuilding from scratch.
Creating reusable templates
Build a "master" session with your standard question types, voting rules, and email templates. Leave it in DRAFT as a template. When you need a new session, clone the template, customize the details, and go. This approach works well for organizations that run multiple votes throughout the year with a consistent format.
Training new administrators
Clone a completed session so new admins can practice managing a session without affecting real data. They can walk through the full lifecycle (adding voters, opening questions, reviewing results) in a safe sandbox environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I clone a session into a different organization?
No. Cloned sessions are always created within the same organization as the source session. If you need the same setup in another organization, you will need to recreate the session manually.
Does cloning a session count against my plan limits?
Yes. A cloned session is a brand-new session, so it counts toward your plan's session limit just like any session you create from scratch. If your organization has reached its session cap, the clone will be blocked until you upgrade your plan or archive existing sessions.
Can I clone a session that has already ended?
Yes. You can clone a session regardless of its current status: DRAFT, LIVE, EARLY VOTING, or ENDED. The clone always starts fresh in DRAFT with no votes, so there is no risk of carrying over completed results.
Are voters or ballots copied when I clone a session?
No. Voters, ballots, invitations, email job history, and activity logs are never copied. The clone starts with an empty voter roll. This is intentional so you can safely test with dummy voters or import a new list for a different meeting cycle.
Last updated: April 2, 2026