Describe your party, contestants, and prizes. Makeform creates a Halloween costume contest voting form with ballot rules, category choices, and optional voter identification, ready to share by link or QR code.
Send ballots to Google Sheets, Slack, and Zapier.
Sample prompts for the builder
Choose a setup, adapt its names and rules, or send the example prompt into the Makeform builder.
Audience
Employees voting after an office costume parade
Format
One ballot with three award categories
Prompt size
251 chars
Example ballot structure
One ballot with three award categories
Your work email
Best Overall costume
Funniest costume
Most Creative costume
Cheer for a contestant
Suggested ballot tags
Office ballots
Kids' votes
Final round
Give each costume an entry number and use it on signs, photos, and ballot choices.
Step 1
List
number every costume entry
Step 2
Vote
guests choose by category
Step 3
Review
organizer checks valid ballots
Step 4
Announce
totals decide each award
A cleaner costume vote
Give every guest the same contestants, categories, and instructions, with legible responses collected in one place.
Required single-choice questions prevent skipped categories and accidental double selections.
Use entry numbers, short labels, or a photo gallery so voters recognize every option.
Structured category responses simplify counting, tie resolution, and winner announcements.
Fits the celebration
Choose a quick audience poll or a judged ballot with scoring and a tie-breaker.
Collect work email, separate team costumes, and add your award categories.
Give each guest one required choice from a numbered contestant list.
Keep age groups, staff, pets, or teams in separate questions.
Link a gallery and collect consistent scores from off-site judges.
Ballot workflow
Set categories, eligibility, and the counting deadline before guests open the form.
Specify entry count, divisions, and prize categories.
Paste the final numbered lineup into each category after check-in.
Share the link or QR code after every costume has appeared.
Review ballots, compare totals, and apply the announced tie-break rule.
Choose a voting method
Compare fast audience participation with the counting work each method creates.
Field guide
Define voters, entries, categories, and tie handling before sharing the ballot.
Voting instructions
State the deadline, allowed selections, and whether self-voting is permitted. Keep rules short for phone screens.
Contestant list
Assign numbers at check-in and repeat them on signs, photos, and ballot options.
Award categories
Use one required single-choice field per category and add a short judging cue where awards overlap.
Ballot controls
Use a first name, internal email, or attendee code according to the event. Collect only what supports your voting rule.
Tie-break plan
Choose a final-round ballot, panel decision, or secondary question before voting begins.
Confirmation
Confirm receipt and say when winners will be announced. Hide live counts if they could influence later voters.
Related tools
Collect entries, register parade participants, plan the party, or build a general poll.
Organize parade divisions and lineup details.
Open toolFAQ
Practical answers for hosts preparing a fair, quick ballot for guests or judges.
Include voting rules, a deadline, numbered contestants, and one required choice per award. Add a voter identifier if needed, a tie-break method, and a confirmation message.
Use work or school email for an internal event, or an attendee code. State the one-ballot rule clearly and review submissions accordingly. A private party may need only a first name and an honor-system instruction.
Yes. Create one single-choice question per category, such as Best Overall, Most Creative, Funniest, Scariest, and Best Group. Making each category a separate required field produces consistent ballots and keeps each award's responses distinct when the organizer reviews totals.
Photos help remote contests, while a numbered gallery link keeps the ballot shorter. Repeat each entry number in the gallery, venue, and choices. Ask before sharing photos beyond the intended audience.
Pick the procedure before voting begins. Common options are a final-round ballot containing only tied entries, a designated judge panel, or a secondary Best Overall question. Put the method in the instructions so the host does not have to invent a new rule after seeing the result.
Yes. Add separate questions for each age or participant division and place only eligible entry numbers in each list. You can also separate individual, group, staff, family, or pet costumes. This prevents voters from comparing entries that were meant to compete for different prizes.
Yes. Makeform provides unlimited free forms and responses, so you can generate, edit, publish, and collect ballots without a response cap. The paid tier removes the Makeform badge; it is not required to run the contest or receive votes.
Open the ballot only after guests have had a fair chance to see every eligible costume. Put the closing time near the top, allow enough time for guests to scan the QR code, then stop counting at the stated deadline. For remote judging, include the date, time, and time zone.
Make every costume vote count clearly.
