August 2022
Electronic voting is encouraged for electing directors at annual general meetings. Its value extends to any situation requiring an owner vote.
Consider the hypothetical although common situation of voting to revise or update a condo declaration or bylaw. The Condo Act requires at least 80 percent approval from owners to pass. With many owners not residing in a building, others travelling and many just too busy, obtaining 80 percent approval is a challenge.
The traditional approach includes three stages:
- The Board meeting and proposing an amendment or new bylaw.
- Information sessions and material for explaining to owners, answering questions and obtaining owner input.
- Scheduling a meeting during which a vote is taken. Votes are manually tabulated and recorded. Insufficient owner attendance can force a vote meeting to be rescheduled numerous times with an uncertain outcome.
Electronic voting simplifies this last step while often increasing participation rates. There is never a need to scrutinize ballots for validity or to maintain integrity of the voting process. The process is simplified, saves time and virtually eliminates the need to reschedule a vote due to lack of participation.
Electronic forms are sent to owners who vote online at their convenience over a period of days or weeks. Physical location and timing is irrelevant. Results are monitored in real time. Once 80 percent of owners vote in approval, the corporation’s lawyer makes the change official. If the threshold is not achieved the change is not implemented.
The process is simplified, takes less management and director time, reduces costs and is efficient.
