Does Electronic Voting For Community Associations Really Work? How Do You Implement?
Q: I heard that the law in Florida recently changed and that owners in community associations can now vote electronically. What is required to implement electronic voting in my community? And does it really work? A.A. via e-mail
A: You heard correctly. During the 2015 Legislative Session, a new law was passed authorizing condominiums, cooperatives and homeowners associations to conduct elections and other owner votes through an internet-based online voting system. In the spring of 2016, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation adopted administrative regulations to implement the new electronic voting statutes for community associations.
The first step is for the Board to decide if they wish to offer electronic voting to their members by adopting a resolution. The resolution will establish the procedures and deadlines for owners to consent to electronic voting and, thereafter, opt out of electronic voting (if desired). Written notice of the board meeting at which the resolution will be considered must be mailed, delivered, or electronically transmitted (where an owner has consented in writing to receive official notices by e-mail) to the owners, and conspicuously posted at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting.
The next step is for the Board to select an operating software system to utilize and administer the electronic votes. The administrative regulations require the use of sophisticated operating software which will enable the electronic voting website provider to accurately tally votes and be able to defend the result. The operating software also needs to be able to preserve the secrecy of owner votes in the election of directors. There are several different vendors who offer operating software to community associations for a fee. Most of the vendors utilize a similar electronic voting format: (1) the association provides a roster of eligible voters, (2) a unique PIN number is sent to the e-mail address provided by the owner, (3) owners are asked to create a user name and password to log on to the website; and (4) the owner votes electronically.
The Board does not have the right to force owners to vote electronically. Owners have the option to decide if they wish to vote electronically. Owners who do not consent to vote electronically must still be permitted to vote the “old fashioned” way via paper. At the membership meeting the electronic votes and the paper votes are tabulated together and the voting results announced.
Electronic voting does work. Several of my association clients have successfully used electronic voting at their meetings and elections. I predict that electronic voting will become commonplace very soon. The days of shuffling through stacks of paper at association annual meetings may soon be over.
David G. Muller
Board Certified Condominium and Planned Development Law Attorney, Becker
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