The definition of “vote” in the Nonprofit Corporation Act is expanded to include “through an electronic voting system.”
North Carolina adopted electronic election voting for HOA and POA in 2021. This is good news for Fairfield Harbour and other North Carolina communities because it saves thousands of dollars in printing, mailing, and counting paper ballots. It also saves countless hours for the Board Secretary, who is charged with organizing the election, and the POA staff, who help manage the process. Fairfield Harbour votes on new board members every year, so this will be a time and money-saving milestone.
Here is the link to the statute.
§ 55A-1-40.
(26) "Vote" includes authorization by written ballot and written consent, including through an electronic voting system or electronic ballot and electronic consent. (1955, c. 1230; 1959, c. 1161, s. 4; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 801, s. 1; 1993, c. 398, s. 1; 1995, c. 539, s. 15; 1999-369, s. 2.2; 2001-358, s. 5(b); 2001-387, ss. 33, 34, 35, 173, 175(a); 2001-413, s. 6; 2001-487, s. 62(e); 2008-37, s. 1; 2013-157, s. 4; 2021-162, s. 2(a).)
Fairfield Harbour selected Vote HOA Now to help facilitate the new online voting process. “Vote HOA Now is the only full-service, industry-specific, online voting company managed by CAMICB CMCA-certified partners (former community managers). With their knowledge and experience in working closely with high-level managers, management executives, and legal counsel, Vote HOA Now is our partner in the online vote.”
For more information on Vote HOA Now click here: https://www.votehoanow.com/
The upcoming June 2024 election will start our electronic voting process.