Let the whole family vote on next year's location, theme, date, and activities. Democratic planning keeps everyone invested — and takes the decision burden off the one person who organizes everything.
Family reunion planning is often an act of benevolent dictatorship — one person makes all the decisions because someone has to, and then spends the next six months fielding opinions that could have been captured in a five-minute ballot. A printed vote ballot at the end of the reunion turns that process into a collaborative one. Guests get to weigh in while they're still energized and enthusiastic. The organizer gets clear direction that came from the group — not from the loudest voice in the family group chat.
There's also a psychological benefit: people who voted on the next reunion location are more likely to attend it. They feel ownership over the decision. "We chose this" is a much stronger motivator than "Someone planned this."
Distribute ballots after the meal — once guests are relaxed and settled. Give people 10–15 minutes to fill them out, then collect and tally on the spot. Announcing results before guests leave creates excitement and gives the next reunion's organizer a clear mandate.
Assign two or three volunteers to the counting table. Simple plurality voting (most votes wins) works for location and theme. For ranked options, count first-choice votes; if no option gets 50%, eliminate the last-place option and redistribute. Most families use simple plurality — it's fast and the results are usually clear.
Yes. Before printing, write in your specific location options, date range options, and activity ideas in the write-in fields. Or fill in the options on a master copy, photocopy it, and distribute the pre-filled copies.
Related printables: Event Evaluation Form · Raffle Tickets · Reunion Agenda · All Printables
Reunly helps you track venue options, guest commitments, and budget — all in one place. The sooner you start, the smoother it goes.