Articles and News

Electronic voting offers an affordable solution for communities of all sizes.

Celebrating Leaders in the Industry

Originally published in CAI Community Resource Magazine Central Arizona Chapter Spring 2018.

We have an approved CAMICB CE Course bringing the legal requirements and online voting together in one fun session.

Whether you live in a condo, co-op, or HOA, board elections are a complicated process, especially when it comes to voting and counting ballots. Yet electing (or re-electing) a board is probably one of the most important exercises the residents of a co-op or condo building can engage in on behalf of their community. After all, board members are the ones who make the crucial decisions about how their building is run – from maintenance schedules to major capital improvements.

In a recent case (Wu v. PSCC 826, 2018 ONSC 2027), a condominium unit owner commenced legal proceedings against the condominium corporation over concerns about board election irregularities and proxy improprieties.

A3163 Provides fair standards for elections and recall of officers for homeowners' associations. Among other things it addresses electronic voting.

Florida has several specific requirements for the online voting provider you choose for your community......

Quorum in UK Residents Associations Quorum in US Home Owner's Associations

In the US, it's estimated that over 57 million Americans are members of local Homeowner Associations. Over here, the UK equivalent is Residents' Associations, but their aims are much the same....

As an HOA official, it's critical to keep an eye on the bottom line. Online elections can save your homeowner's association money- and time.

Proxy voting is widely used by homeowners associations during elections, but homeowners call the process "complicated and confusing". Is there a better option?

If you want to get elected to the board of directors of your homeowner association, we suggest that you follow these guidelines.....

Increasing homeowners association members’ participation in elections is a constant challenge for HOA officials. Homeowners association officials have tried experimenting with different incentives.....

To combat low attendance, some community associations are using raffles, or offering prizes--drawing names from returned ballots at the annual meeting, or combining the meeting with a cookout or other social event.

If you are elected to your board, you will share the power to make decisions about what is probably your largest asset - your home.

The efforts by the HOA Reform Coalition are part of a larger effort happening throughout the U.S.

Voting online is a huge time-saver for HOA residents and officials. Although residents want to be a part of their HOA election process, it can be very time-consuming to review all of the amendments, issues and candidates on every ballot. Every homeowner needs to have time to review any and all election communications and voting instructions.

The ultimate challenge for any HOA official is to ensure that voting results are accurate. One of the biggest benefits of electronic voting with Vote HOA Now is the reporting tools.

For many people, the notion of using an online ballot is all-new. You might have concerns about electronic voting, like is it secure and is it safe?

As many owners in mountain communities don't live in their units year round, boards of mountain communities rely on electronic communication to increase participation by non-resident board members as well as owners.

Empowering homeowners to vote on HOA issues and candidates is one way to affect change in a homeowners association. However, there are occasionally issues during HOA elections, and the voting process can be time-consuming for residents and officials.

People seems to think of electronic voting as being at odds with the way they vote now. It's not.....

Homeowner associations are designed to be representative democracies governed by a board of directors elected by the members. Electing directors to the board that can thoughtfully govern is extremely important. To accomplish this, elections must be carefully planned, not hatched at the last minute. Here are important components of a successful election process.

California law that regulates how HOAs operate have been amended to give HOAs the choice of voting electronically.

Community Associations Institute (CAI) is the only international organization dedicated to fostering well-governed, successful community associations. For more than 40 years

Q. To maximize our chances of obtaining a quorum, is it legally permissible for our condominium association to enter the names of all voters in a raffle for some type of gift?

Code of Virginia

Voting—In person, absentee ballots, proxies. (1) Owners may vote at a meeting in person, by absentee ballot pursuant to subsection (3)(d) of this section, or by a proxy pursuant to subsection (5) of this section. (2) When a vote is conducted without a meeting, owners may vote by ballot pursuant to subsection (6) of this section. (3) At a meeting of owners the following requirements apply:

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, except as provided in subsection (e), or the declaration or bylaws of a condominium to the contrary, at any association meeting the board may direct the use of an electronic voting device regardless of whether a secret ballot is used or required. Except as provided in subsection (e), the use shall be subject to the following:

C.45:22A-45.2 Executive board elections...... (8) An association shall not prevent voting for an executive board member by electronic means where the executive board determines to employ voting in such manner and an association member, or voting-eligible tenant where applicable, consents to casting a vote in such manner.

Tile 33 covers planned communities, title 10 covers non-profit corporation law

Maryland Real Property 11B-113.2 Electronic Voting

HB 791 authorizing condominium, cooperative, and homeowners' associations to conduct votes of the membership by online voting passed and will go into effect 7/1/2015.

10-33-01. Definitions. 5. "Ballot" means a written ballot or a ballot transmitted by electronic communication.

58-4614. Same; unit owner voting procedures. (a) Unless prohibited or limited by the declaration or bylaws, unit owners may vote at a meeting in person, by secret ballot, by absentee ballot pursuant to subsection (b)(4), by a proxy pursuant to subsection (c), or, when a vote is conducted without a meeting, by electronic or paper ballot pursuant to subsection (d).

Section 47-7E-9 A states: The association shall provide for votes to be cast in person, by absentee ballot or by proxy and may provide for voting by some other form of delivery.

Title 27A: Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (1994) Chapter 3: MANAGEMENT OF THE COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITY 27 V.S.A. § 3-110. Voting; proxies; ballots

Sec. 47-252. Voting. Proxies. Ballots. (a) Unless prohibited or limited by the declaration or bylaws, unit owners may vote at a meeting in person, by a proxy pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or, when a vote is conducted without a meeting, by electronic or paper ballot pursuant to subsection (d) of this section.

AI-IL is pleased to announce that HB 5322, the Electronic Voting Bill introduced by CAI, was signed into law on August 25, 2014 as Public Act 98-1042.

Incorporated HOA's follow the state laws governing nonprofit corporations.

Except as otherwise provided in the bylaws, the presence or participation, including voting and taking other action, at a meeting of members, or the expression of consent or dissent to corporate action, by a member by conference telephone or other electronic means, including, without limitation, the Internet......

House Bill 2761 updates chapter 209 to allow for electronic voting in January 2012 Personal comment, good job Texas, this is the clearest law on online voting I have seen to date.

A member or shareholder may vote in person or, unless the articles of incorporation or the bylaws otherwise provide, may vote by mail, by electronic transmission.....

Subchapter III. Management of the Common Interest Community

MARYLAND CONDOMINIUM ACT Annotated Code of Maryland Real Property Article, Title 11

(c) If authorized by the statute under which the association is created, and to the extent not limited or prohibited by the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or declaration, the vote on any issue or issues may be taken by electronic means.............,

Chapter 94 Real Property Development Section 94.661 Electronic Ballot Chapter 100 Condominiums Section: 100.428 Electronic ballot

SECTION 33-31-708. Action by written or electronic ballot.

Code of Virginia