Hi Cara!
You're right – moderators should be able to create and manage polls without also being hosts. Host-only users can't create polls, but a moderator with the correct login and setup can, both before and during the webinar. If you're having to give yourself both roles, it usually means the account you're using isn't set up as a moderator for that webinar yet, or you're going in via the wrong path.
Below are two supported ways to add polls before the event.
Option 1 – Planner using Engagement > Polls > Set up (Cvent builder)
- In Cvent, open your Webinar and go to Engagement.
- In the Polls area, click Set up – this opens the webinar presentation page in a new tab (Figure 1).
- Make sure the webinar owner's email (your Cvent login) is also added as a Moderator under Team Members (Team Members > Add team member > check Moderator > Save).
- Back on the webinar site, in the right-hand toolbar, click Polls, then Create question to add your poll questions (Figure 2).
Figure 1 below shows where the Set up button appears on the Engagement page:
Polls section with Set up button on the Engagement page
Figure 2 shows the Polls tab and Create question button on the webinar site:
Polls tab with Create question button on the webinar site
Option 2 – Moderator-only adding polls on the webinar site
For someone who is only a moderator (not a host):
- In Cvent, confirm their email is added as a Moderator on the Team Members page for that webinar.
- Have them log in to the webinar site with that email and click Join as attendee (or Join as host if they also have host access).
- On the right-hand toolbar, click Polls > Create question, then add the question and answer options and click Done.
If a moderator-only user can't see Create question after following this flow, that's not expected behavior and may indicate a configuration issue our Support team should review.
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Megan Burns
Customer Success Manager
Cvent
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-23-2026 14:15
From: Cara Randolph
Subject: Adding polls
When adding polls the only way I seem to be able to add them is if I make myself the host AND the moderator. As host alone I cannot add a poll and as moderator alone I cannot add a poll. Is this how it is supposed to be or is this an error? Seems like the moderator should be able to add the poll to the webinar.
Note: This was being attempted prior to the event not during the webinar.
#Webinar
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Cara Randolph
Professional Education Specialist
Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego
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