California HOA Meeting Rules

Running a homeowners association (HOA) meeting in California isn’t just about getting everyone in the same room and talking. There are rules that need to be followed that keep HOA meeings fair, transparent, and productive. 

Whether it’s a board meeting, a big annual gathering, or a special session, California laws (like the Davis-Stirling Act) detail exactly how these meetings should go. From giving proper notice to ensuring members can have their say, these guidelines help keep processes smooth and fair for all. 

One of the must-know rules of the act is that an HOA inspector of elections in California is required when electronic voting is being used.

What Is the Davis-Stirling Act?

The Davis-Stirling Act lays out how HOAs in California should operate and handle everything from meetings to elections. It’s a clear set of regulations for the entire state, and are in addition to Southern or Northern California HOA rules. There may even be Orange County HOA voting processes that look different than those used in San Francisco.

This act was put in place to keep things fair, transparent, and organized for all homeowners and board members in the state. It’s meant to make sure HOA activities and meetings run smoothly.

The Davis-Stirling Act was first signed into law in 1985 and officially went into effect one year later. Since then, the act has been updated multiple times to meet changing needs. The revisions provide clearer guidelines on HOA governance, covering everything from meetings and elections to financial management. Most recently, it was amended to allow for electronic voting.

Must-Know Meeting Rules

The Davis-Stirling Act has a major impact on how HOA meetings are run. Here are a few of the most important rules to remember:

• Open meetings: Most HOA board meetings must be open to everyone in the community. There are a few exceptions, like private executive sessions for legal or sensitive matters.
• Plenty of notice: HOAs must let members know when and where meetings will be held and share an agenda in advance. This way, no one is ever caught off guard.
• Elevating member voices: Members can attend, observe, and speak during open meetings. Boards can set reasonable time limits, but members should always have a chance to share their thoughts.
• Major decision-making: Boards can’t make important decisions behind the scenes. For transparency sake, they must discuss and vote on all HOA business matters during official meetings.

Voting and Elections

Similar to HOA meetings, HOA elections have their own set of rules and regulations set by the Davis-Stirling Act. For one, all voting must be done using secret ballots to ensure anonymity in the voting process. 

If using paper ballots, they must be returned in a double-envelope system, where the inner envelope contains no identifying information about the voter to protect their privacy. Recent updates to the act now allow HOAs to use electronic voting as long as they follow strict security rules.  

An Electronic Platform Keeps It Simple

No matter what voting format your HOA members prefer, ElectionBuddy has you covered! This platform makes it super easy for HOAs to stay compliant with the rules and simplifies the entire voting process–from initial communication to the tallying of votes and beyond.