#condoboards#condoelections#goodcondoboards#ballots
Condo boards should always hold elections at AGMs.... and we mean elections, actual elections where each owner votes for their representative board member using a secret ballot. Elections are not nominations or putting your hand up, elections are elections. When your board of directors operates with the understanding that the owners in the building are shareholders in the corporation and the board is accountable to those owners then a board operates differently and more successfully.
Far too often we see condo buildings that can't find owners to serve on the board so they operate in secret and do not follow proper procedure during the AGMs. The majority of condo bylaws require elections to be held at an AGM. An election is not being hand picked or putting your hand up. An election is defined as a formal organized process where a person is voted for an office or position. In a proper condo board elections candidates should submit their qualifications, experience and their plans for being on the board for all the owners to review and decide if the candidate fits with their ideology and their plans for the building. When you know the qualifications and experience of a potential board candidate then each owner can make an informed decision about who is governing their building. When every owner present at a meeting or by proxy votes for the candidate or board member that best suits their ideology in a secret ballot then the majority of owners interests are represented and the board can legitimately make decisions that work for everyone in the building. Every board election should provide for board members to vote by secret ballots, this is the most democratic and fair procedure for elections. It is the owners right to vote and decide who should govern and manage the corporation and not face repercussions from other owners or board members for voting and deciding on a certain candidate.
How many times have you heard that nobody wants to run for the board? Nobody wants to serve on the board is something that we hear all the time. Its so hard to find board members, it's actually not usually true. Dysfunctional boards can't find candidates to run for the board but good positive boards can find board members to serve on the board. Dysfunctional boards are easy to detect and the only reason owners don't want to serve on the board is because the board doesn't work well, the hand picked members have forgotten or don't understand the role of a board of directors. What people don't want is to serve on a rigid hand picked board that is dysfunctional. Why would an owner want to serve on a board that has been hand picked in secret for years that never gets anything done. It doesn't take long to learn about your board of directors once you have purchased your unit. When the board is oppressive and not interested in serving its owners then one or two new board members are not going to change the board, it's this type of situation that discourages owners from becoming board members. If your board isn't open and transparent and is being hand picked or appointed then this is the first place you start. Owners need to stand up and make sure that elections with secret ballots are held at the AGM.
If you need assistance with the process and procedure of a condo election give us a call and we can help audit or organize and coordinate your next election. We can provide the tools and procedure and audit the election to ensure that the election was fair for all owners to work towards successful democratic boards of directors.
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