About 74 million of us live in a community association, meaning at least once a year we’re asked to vote on association concerns. Ballots might include candidates for board positions, proposed bylaw changes, and a special assessment for needed maintenance or, more and more often, to fund a pickleball court.
Many of the country’s largest residential and resort association management companies rely on our ExpressoVote® software to administer these elections with online, in-person and mailed voting and create and deliver election-related communications for millions of owners.
Create the best possible experience for voters
Associations use ExpressoVote to automate processes and improve efficiency. The electronic voting system allows owners to cast a ballot using their smartphone, tablet or computer via a secure online portal. It also manages and tabulates non-digital voting, although paper-based ballots for associations using ExpressoVote have dropped to just 10-15% of the total.
ExpressoVote is integrated into our patented cloud-based Expresso™ platform that HOAs use to develop and distribute customized owner communications such as letters and statements, coupons and even newsletters. These communications have become an essential tool for associations — bringing people together and communicating what they’re doing to maintain a healthy HOA and community.
ExpressoVote leverages Expresso’s easy-to-use dashboard so administrators can quickly set up an election. Your Nordis CSM team will ensure the ballot is prepared correctly and the election runs according to the requirements in each association’s covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) and bylaws. Nordis will design an online voting portal branded to each of your HOAs and manage the timing and digital and print/mail distributions of critical voting communications including:
- Call for candidates
- Notice of annual meeting
- Ballot with slate, issues or measures to vote on
- Election results
Achieving quorum
Owners that vote electronically count as being in attendance, so online voting makes it easier for an association to attain a quorum. This is particularly important in large communities in places like Florida, where a sizable percentage of owners are seasonal residents.
An election is only valid once a quorum is established, which is the minimum number of owners that must vote so the association can conduct its business. It’s often a percentage of the total membership. We’ve heard of elected HOA board members remaining in their positions by default, year after year, for lack of voter turnout. In another case, a vote to increase dues was found not legally binding when homeowners challenged the vote’s validity due to the association’s failure to achieve a quorum.
With ExpressoVote, associations can easily keep count of votes and send more communications if necessary to encourage participation until they reach quorum.
Top Five States Based on the Number of Community Associations
|
State |
Association Count |
| California | 50,010 |
| Florida | 49,420 |
| Texas | 21,680 |
| Illinois | 19,010 |
| North Carolina | 14,440 |
Source: Foundation for Community Association Research |
|
Step up security
Another advantage of ExpressoVote is enhanced security. Paper ballots can be lost, stolen, or tampered with, leading to inaccurate or fraudulent voting results. ExpressoVote voters have unique registration codes. Encryption and other security measures ensure that votes are recorded and counted accurately. Voting records are retained for the duration you set, and the system provides a clear audit trail, making it easier to identify any irregularities or discrepancies in the voting process.
This offers greater transparency and accountability, which can build owner trust and confidence in the association’s decision-making processes.
Save time, save money
Some of the most significant benefits of ExpressoVote are time savings and reduced costs. Traditional voting methods require considerable time and resources, including printing and mailing paper ballots and people to manually count and verify votes.
Most of our resort clients are “online only” in their communications, and residential HOAs are headed in that direction. Some use both print and email, meaning everyone who receives a printed piece gets an email too. These variations reflect association governing documents and can be automated in ExpressoVote based on business rules you set with Nordis.
Cater to owners
Digital outreach is also increasingly driven by consumer choice. More communities are giving owners a choice on whether they want to go green with online communications and support less printing, reduce waste and help keep costs, including dues, down. Owners also appreciate the convenience and ease of use of digital options.
Ensure a smoother voting process
Your CSM will personally work with you to implement ExpressoVote to improve your organization’s efficiency and effectiveness while enhancing member engagement and participation. For more information, contact us today!