Running an HOA election is a massive challenge for board members and community managers. Discover exactly what they are, who can vote, the rules to follow. Also find out how to get residents involved, improve quorum, and how to hold them.

Introduction to HOA Election

All HOAs run into the same fundamental problem: How to run a smooth and efficient HOA election? It may not seem that hard at the first glance but it can easily become tricky. It requires a lot of preparation, knowledge of rules, and laws but it mostly need effective communication. As you may know, most HOAs struggle with reaching quorum. It can be so hard to get the residents involved in decision-making. But just because it’s complicated doesn’t mean it’s impossible! Like everything in life, the solution is to look at best practices and follow advice. Like these tips that we’ve prepared for you.

As mentioned above, HOA elections require a lot of preparation and proactivity. We decided that one article was just not enough to cover the whole topic, so we’ve prepared two extra articles for you. 

Let’s start with the basics, about what HOA elections entail:

1. What’s an HOA Election?

A Homeowner Association (HOA) is a mini democracy so the people (or in this case the residents) have the right to elect their leadership. An election usually happens every year at the HOA annual meeting.

 Residents of a community will gather to elect their board of directors that will act as the leaders of the community. The board is usually made up of a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer. The duties and responsibilities of the board consist mainly in maintaining the common areas, managing the budgets, and representing the homeowners.

2. Who can vote in an HOA Election?

The simple answer is that homeowners vote.

But do renters have the right to vote? The answer is typically no. It may vary from a community to another but the right to vote is normally only granted to the legal owner of the property. If an owner can’t vote in the HOA election because they’re ill or away or busy, then they can give their vote to a proxy to vote for them.

3. Are there any rules/laws that HOAs need to follow for elections?

HOAs are usually organized as a nonprofit. So, their elections should comply with state laws. Each state has rules for HOAs that associations need to adopt when running elections. As well as following state laws, HOAs have to follow the association bylaws. 

4. What’s the best way to involve and inform the community?

Communication with homeowners is key. You need to let residents know early enough about an upcoming election. In line with state law, the board needs to notify residents in advance.

Using different communication tools will help you make sure the message is received by all of your residents. Keep in mind that some people check their emails regularly, others never do. Some residents aren’t tech-savvy so automated calls and text messages will be a life-saver for the board. HOA software can help you to send emails, automated texts, and calls. As a board member, it is your duty to make sure that all residents are aware of this upcoming election. This is often neglected but it’s actually one of the most important aspects since great communication automatically increases quorum. 

Some residents may not see the value of electing new board members so it’s crucial to remind them that their participation matters.

5. Is there an efficient way to increase quorum?

A quorum is the minimum number of member votes that are required to make a vote valid. Quorum is important for the board of directors meetings and annual HOA elections. This is why it’s important to make sure your residents are aware of the election and will participate because if this minimum amount is not met, then the election will be invalid, and all of your efforts will be in vain.

We all have busy lives and even with all the will, some people will not be able to attend the HOA elections. Does that mean they cannot participate and vote? Well no, there are so many other ways residents can share their vote nowadays. A busy schedule should never be a reason for someone not to participate. As a board member, it is your responsibility to make sure that residents won’t miss the opportunity to use this democratic right.

In the next section, we examine solutions to increase quorum and encourage owners to vote.

6. How do elections take place?

a. In-person

An HOA election can be held in person, so residents will physically attend the annual meeting at a location that is either in the community association or within walking distance of the HOA and will cast their vote. 

b. Mail

Residents that can’t attend the annual meeting can send their ballot votes by mail. Here’s an election ballot template that you can use for your own election. Download it for free by clicking here.  

c. Online

Some HOAs use software that allows virtual meetings and online voting. Not all states allow online voting, but it is a great tool if you’re allowed to use it.

d. Proxies

A homeowner can also vote by proxy. A proxy is a document that allows a homeowner to appoint another person to represent him during the election and vote on his behalf. 

If you’d like to know more about proxy voting, make sure to read this article we prepared for you, it explains it all. 

Conclusion

We hope that today’s post shows you that it is possible to hold a smooth and efficient election in your HOA. Make sure to prepare in advance and learn about your state laws and bylaws, compliance should never be overlooked. In conclusion, you can improve your overall election/voting process by communicating to your residents through different channels and allowing them to participate/vote in different ways. Proceeding this way will ensure quorum and increase residents’ satisfaction.