As you probably already know, homeowner associations or HOAs need to elect a board of directors each year. Members cast a ballot at an annual meeting and vote for the representatives who will run the association. It is similar to a real democracy. Members have a privilege to express their opinions and choose the candidate that they prefer. It gives them a chance to make a difference and have an impact on the future of their community. Luckily, a voting software can be used to make things easy for the members. Voting is a vital aspect of community living. Every member should choose a person who they find the most suitable for the position in the board of directors. There is no room for bad feelings and conflicts. People need to be able to express their opinions freely, without any consequences.
In the past, only paper ballots were used, and they have many issues. For example, some people don’t want to vote because they don’t have enough time to go to a particular location to do it. Many individuals have busy working schedules, and the last thing they can think about is going somewhere to cast a ballot. Another problem with the paper alternative is that mistakes can happen easily. Duplicate HOA votes can appear. These situations can be avoided thanks to the online alternative.
Meeting Quorum
It is important to meet a quorum so that the election results are valid. It means that, if the law states that 15% of all residents need to participate in order for the elections to be valid, the total of all ballots cast must be at least 15% of all residents. If the required percentage is not met, elections won’t be valid. In the past, this requirement has had its challenges. Residents were burdened by having to show up on a certain time and date, and at a certain place to cast a ballot. Unfortunately, many of them were too busy because of work and various other obligations. This problem can be overcome by opting for an online solution. That way, residents can vote from the comfort of their home and at a convenient time.
The online alternative has increased the member participation a lot. Also, meeting the quorum is easier than it ever was. Now that people are not obligated to show up somewhere at a certain time, they look forward to voting. The online option enables them to cast a ballot whenever they want, regardless of their obligations during the day. In this case, voting doesn’t occur only during the annual meeting. Instead, residents have access to the ballot a few days prior to the meeting and can vote at any time of day and night. All they need is a unique username and password. The online alternative prevents mistakes and duplicate votes. The results are much more accurate compared to the paper alternative. Also, counting votes is much faster and there is no room for human error. It also saves a lot of money as there is no need to print papers, and it also has environmental benefits.