Online Voting System Using PHP

A modern, secure, and user-friendly web-based voting system built with PHP and MySQL. The system features a streamlined voter registration process accessible from the login page, where users can enter their first name, last name, password, and an optional profile photo. Clicking "Generate Voter ID & Register" automatically creates a unique Voter ID, allowing users to log in using their credentials. Once authenticated, users enter the "2026 ELECTION PORTAL," which consists of two main steps: selecting nominees from registered voters (with options to accept or decline, or bypass if candidates already exist) and casting final votes with a maximum selection cap of at least 3. Additionally, the admin dashboard, accessed via /admin/home.php, provides comprehensive management tools including real-time statistics cards, live tally sections for top standings and nominees, sidebar navigation for reports, management, and settings, as well as profile controls and print functions.

📋 System Requirements

• XAMPP (Apache + MySQL + PHP v7.4 or higher recommended)
• Any modern Web Browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari)

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📂 Project Structure

• index.php — Voter login and starting portal
• admin/ — Administrative dashboard and management pages
• includes/ — Shared frontend PHP components and templates
• admin/includes/ — Shared admin-specific PHP includes
• db/votesystem.sql — Database schema and default seed data

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🚀 Setup & Installation Guide (XAMPP)

1. Install XAMPP on your local machine if you haven't already.
2. Copy the Project Folder into your XAMPP htdocs directory:
   • Example Path: C:\xampp\htdocs\voting
3. Start Services: Open the XAMPP Control Panel and start both Apache and MySQL.
4. Access phpMyAdmin: Open your browser and go to http://localhost/phpmyadmin.
5. Create Database: Create a new database named votesystem.
6. Import SQL File:
   • Click on the votesystem database in the left sidebar.
   • Navigate to the Import tab.
   • Select db/votesystem.sql from your project directory.
   • Click Go at the bottom to execute the import.
7. Launch Voter Portal: Open your browser and navigate to:
   • http://localhost/voting/
8. Launch Admin Panel: Navigate to:
   • http://localhost/voting/admin/

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🔑 Default Admin Account

• Username: angel
• Password: 1234

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🛠️ Troubleshooting

• Database Connection Error: Verify that the MySQL service is running in XAMPP and that a database named votesystem successfully exists in phpMyAdmin.
• Pages Not Loading / 404 Errors: Double-check that your project folder inside htdocs is strictly named voting to match your local URL structure.
• Login Issues: If authentication fails, ensure your database credentials match or reset the password hash directly inside the database table.