---
title: "Usergroups"
slug: "usergroups"
description: "Restrict election access with usergroups: create them via Manage Usergroups, assign users on Edit User, and assign elections at creation or in Election Details."
updated: 2025-11-19T19:15:52Z
published: 2025-11-19T19:15:52Z
canonical: "help.simplyvoting.com/usergroups"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.simplyvoting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Usergroups

**Usergroups** allow control over which **users** can access which elections.

Each user can be assigned to one or several **usergroups**, and when a **user** creates an election they may assign the election to a **usergroup** to which they belong, so that *only users of that assigned usergroup* will be able to access that election.

Deleting a **usergroup** makes all elections previously assigned to that usergroup accessible to all users. You may want to consider assigning such elections to a new usergroup before deleting an old one, if you do not want all users to have this new access.

Are usergroups necessary?

Organizations have varying needs when it comes to **usergroups**.

For instance, you may have the need to run a few elections with varying categories or contingents of your entire electorate, but you may also have the need for unique users to set up and manage each of those elections. To address this need, **normal users** could be assigned to specific **usergroups** which are setup to address each group’s election, without interferring with each other's work. **Super users** are automatically added to a "super user" usergroup.

**Usergroups** may also simply be a handy way to categorize groups of elections at-a-glance, even if all users have access to all elections.

Alternatively, **usergroups** may also simply be handy way to categorize groups of users at-a-glance, such as creating a usergroup of internal elections staff with permanent access and a separate usergroup for external auditors or scrutineers with perhaps temporary access.

How your organization uses **usergroups** is entirely your own choice.

## Creating Usergroups

To create new usergroup, click on the **Manage Usergroups** button within the **Users** page to navigate to the **Usergroups** section. Then specify a **name** *(e.g. "Student Senate")* in the available field. Click **Create** to create the usergroup.

![EM_redesign_account_management_create_usergroup_fixed](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/EM_redesign_account_management_create_usergroup_fixed.png)

Once successful, you will receive a green **Success Message** in the bottom right corner.

![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/image%2867%29.png)

You can re-name or edit a **usergroup’s name** by clicking on the **Edit** button in the **Action** column.

After creation, your **usergroup** is empty since **users** and **elections** still have to be assigned.

## Managing Usergroups Assigned to Users

Once a **usergroup** and one or more **normal users** have been created, you may now begin assigning these **users** to their appropriate **usergroups**.

On the **Users** page click on the **Edit** button for the user you would like to manage and assign to a **usergroup**. On the **Edit User** page, you can now assign this user to any desired **usergroups**.

![image.png](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/image%2812%29.png)

Click the **Save** button once user editing is finished.

You will receive a green **Success Message** indicating the user has been updated. In the user listing below you will also see the the newly assigned usergroups.

![EM_redesign_account_management_managing_usergroup_assignments_success_fixed](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/EM_redesign_account_management_managing_usergroup_assignments_success_fixed.png)

In this above sample, our "*twilliams*" auditor has been assigned to two **usergroups**: "*Clubs*" and "*Student Senate*." Thus, this auditor, would be able to access any **elections** assigned to these **usergroups**, assuming their access permissions have been configured as described in earlier in this guide.

Again, keep in mind that any **elections** not assigned to a **usergroup** are accessible to all **users**. To restrict access to one or more elections, you must assign elections to a particular **usergroup**.

## Managing Usergroup Assignments for Elections

To assign new **elections** to a **usergroup** at election creation, simply select the **usergroup** of choice from the available previously created usergroups.

**Super users**, like in the example below, can assign an **election** to any **usergroup**, or if desired select **No Usergroup** assignment.

![EM_redesign_account_management_assigning_usergroup_at_election_creation](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/EM_redesign_account_management_assigning_usergroup_at_election_creation.png)

**Normal users**, like in the example below, can only assign an **election** to **usergroup(s)** to which they themselves belong.

![EM_redesign_account_management_assigning_usergroup_at_election_creation_normal](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/EM_redesign_account_management_assigning_usergroup_at_election_creation_normal.png)

From time to time, **super users** and **normal users** may need to change an existing **election’s usergroup** assignment. All **users** may assign existing **elections** with **Draft** status to any usergroup to which they themselves belong. **Super users** also have the ability to select usergroup assignments for elections with **Waiting**, **Active**, and **Finished** statuses.

To adjust usergroup assignment, **View** the desired election and navigate to the **Election Details** section.

Then you can change the **usergroup** assignment of the election. Below is an example of an election with **Draft** status.

![EM_redesign_account_management_assign_election_usergroup](https://cdn.document360.io/a78bcdfe-0fc1-4248-a709-1fe58ecd1ca1/Images/Documentation/EM_redesign_account_management_assign_election_usergroup.png)