community association electronic voting Tag Archives

October 18, 2022

Tips for Florida Community Associations Considering Online-based Voting

by Roberto C. Blanch

Roberto C. Blanch

With the passage of a new law in 2015, the Florida legislature made online-based electronic voting an option for the state’s community associations. Many associations have since adopted the use of electronic voting for their meetings and elections, and the supporters thereof have claimed that is has yielded a number of benefits including increased membership participation and improved tracking of owner participation, trends and interests. Here are a few helpful tips for those who are now considering the implementation of electronic voting in their communities.

Boards of directors should first be aware that if they wish to implement an internet-based voting system for the votes of their owners, they must do so in compliance with the statutory procedures applicable to their respective associations, which include the adoption of a resolution supporting the platform at a properly noticed meeting. Once approved, associations should notify the owners of the change as well as the procedures and deadlines for owners to opt-in or opt-out via written responses that are added to its records.

Florida law requires that community association e-voting systems must be able to authenticate owners’ identities and receive ballots in a manner that ensures their secrecy and integrity. For board elections, the owner-identifying information must be separated from each ballot to render it impossible to tie authenticated ballots to specific owners. The systems must also be able to store and keep electronic votes accessible for recount, inspection and review purposes.

August 22, 2019

Article by Nicole Kurtz in Today’s Daily Business Review: “New Laws Spurring Florida Community Associations to Implement E-Voting, Websites”

by Siegfried Rivera

Siegfried Rivera

The firm’s Nicole R. Kurtz authored an article that was featured as the guest commentary column in today’s edition of the Daily Business Review, South Florida’s exclusive business daily and official court newspaper. The article, which is titled “New Laws Spurring Florida Community Associations to Implement E-Voting, Websites,” focuses on the recent changes in state law allowing community associations to implement electronic voting and requiring condominium associations with 150 units or more to have a website containing digital copies of certain official records. Her article reads:

. . . The condominium association website laws mandate that compliant websites should have been operational as of Jan. 1 of this year. The laws call for association websites that are accessible only to unit owners and employees where certain notices, records and documents are posted. These must include the declaration of condominium, bylaws, articles of incorporation, rules and regulations of the association, as well as all executory contracts or documents to which the association is a party, or under which the association or unit owners have an obligation or responsibility.

Condominium association websites must also feature the association’s annual budget and proposed annual budget; financial reports; monthly income or expense statements; copies of bids, or summaries of bids, exceeding $500; association meeting notices, and board member certification forms.

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August 29, 2016

Introducing a New Resource for E-Voting

by Siegfried Rivera

Siegfried Rivera

One of the more notable developments resulting from the 2015 Florida legislative session included a change to community association statutes establishing the opportunity for associations to offer their members the ability to vote electronically. While many community association stakeholders have had an immediate reaction to jump on the e-voting bandwagon, we have counseled — and will continue to counsel — our clients to proceed with caution, as with all new innovations presented during the digital age.

We have come to find that electronic voting may benefit some community associations, while it may not address the voting concerns of others. In light of this, we will continue to encourage community association board members, managers and owners to seek competent legal advice regarding whether electronic voting is a good option for their association. If the decision is reached to implement e-voting as an option, community association board members and managers should work with their lawyers to evaluate which online voting provider’s system is best suited to meet the needs of their association, while making sure the software complies with the Florida community association online voting requirements.

Additionally, it is advisable that associations use an electronic voting system provider that is independent from its law firm and management company, so as to ensure that the integrity of the association’s voting process is best protected.

In our efforts to vet online voting systems, we realized that most lacked the basis for proper application in basic community association settings or lacked the flexibility to adapt to unique voting situations.

After multiple months of research, we were successful in identifying a provider well suited for community association use. VTR, an e-voting software system owned and operated by FOB Software, is one provider we feel community association directors and managers should consider.