Simplifying the Voting Process for Shareholders

Implementing a simplified voting process is key to increasing shareholder participation and protecting the integrity of elections and decisions that impact an organization. When an online voting tool for corporations is easy to use, shareholders can cast their votes with little effort and be assured that the process is transparent, accurate, and secure.

What Shareholders Vote On

Shareholders vote on issues that impact the performance of an organization at a strategic level, such as:

• Election of members to the board of directors
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Changes to bylaws
• Shifts in organizational structure and objectives

They do not vote on day-to-day management issues such as the hiring and firing of employees, budget allocation, etc.

The Case for Electronic Voting

In years past, in-person shareholding voting was the norm. Today, shareholders generally have the option of voting in person, by mail, or electronically, depending on the governing rules and regulations.

However, many shareholders aren’t able to vote in person for a variety of reasons (e.g., distance, scheduling conflicts, etc.). A reliable voting platform can simplify the voting process so all shareholders can have their voices heard, ensuring that the results of an election truly reflect the opinions of the voter base.

Before Holding a Vote

Many organizations transitioned to online voting during the pandemic, prompting shareholders to learn how shareholder voting software works if they weren’t already familiar with it. But before educating shareholders on voting software, it’s important to ensure that the chosen platform complies with the organization’s bylaws, US Securities and Exchange Commission regulations, and state requirements.

Features That Simplify the Shareholder Voting Process

Essential Features That Ensure a Smooth Vote

Using voting software like ElectionBuddy can make the difference between a seamless voting process and a disaster. This go-to solution is based on our experience supporting more than 350,000 elections held by nonprofits, unions, industry associations, homeowner associations, and a myriad of other organizations.

Some of ElectionBuddy’s features that help simplify the voting process are:

• Flexible ballot design to accommodate different circumstances
• Availability in nearly 200 countries and multiple languages
• Customized notifications that can be sent via email, snail mail, text, or printed materials
• 256-bit encryption, ensuring data on highly sensitive topics and personal information is well protected
• Real-time voting to reduce the risk of errors and allow election administrators to confidently share timely information about the results in near real time
• Integration with other software to streamline voter registration, keep sensitive information secure, and offer a single sign-on option
• A digital audit trail and the option to include an independent observer in the process to verify results

Instructions and tutorials should also be provided to shareholders well in advance of a vote. This gives shareholders who are not already familiar with the voting platform time to get up to speed.

Benefits of ElectionBuddy’s Simplified Voting System

When voting is simplified with a reliable digital voting platform like ElectionBuddy, voting becomes accessible to more shareholders. This, in turn, boosts participation, improves transparency, and builds trust among shareholders that the vote is accurate and reflects the wishes of those who participated.