Question 1

Does the inspector of elections have to have special credentials?

Accepted Answer

A Supervisor/Inspector of Elections does not need to have any special training, but should have a thorough knowledge of the proxy process and be familiar with commonly accepted practices.

Question 2

How can I change my vote?

Accepted Answer

You can contact the election supervisors and ask them to send you another proxy or you can attend the meeting and vote in person.

Question 3

Why vote? Does my vote really count?

Accepted Answer

Of course it does! Every vote counts.

Question 4

What is confidential voting?

Accepted Answer

Also known as closed voting or secret ballot voting, confidential voting is when all proxies, ballots and votong tabulations that identify the voter are kept confidential. Independent vote tabulators or the inspectors of election are responsible for examining individual ballots, while management and shareholders are only told the results.
The Voting Group LLC always stipulates in our contracts that we are the only ones that can handle and review the voting documents during the election process until the election results are released. After that then the documents can be reviewed if necessary.

Question 5

What are By-Laws?

Accepted Answer

By-Laws supplement each organizations charter, spelling out, in more specific details, general provisions contained in the charter. In some cases Board of Directors often have the power to change bylaw provisions with out shareholder approval but most often a vote of the majority of the shareholders is needed to change the bylaws.
The rules concerning this should be found in your By-Laws.

Question 6

How do I know my vote will be cast the way I want it?

Accepted Answer

If you clearly mark your ballot or proxy there is no reason to believe that the independent company tabulating your votes will misrepresent your intentions. The beauty of election monitoring companies is that they are non-partisan. They do not have a stake in the outcome of your election, therefore, there is no reason for them to ignore your vote.
The only cases in which your vote will be ignored is if you do not mark your ballot/proxy clearly, do not return it on time or do not sign your ballot/proxy.

Question 7

I always leave a comment on my proxy. Does anyone read it?

Accepted Answer

The Voting Group passes on comments to the appropriate parties that need to receive them. If your comment is important then you should consider sending it directly to the people or persons that can readily answer or handle your problem.

Question 8

I found a proxy after the meeting. Should I send it in?

Accepted Answer

NO. Once the polls have closed, no additional votes can be accepted.

Question 9

I received my voting materials after the meeting was over.

Accepted Answer

Sometime this happens and it is unfortunate but, it is not intentional. In some cases the dealy can be due to an incorrect or insufficient address, in which case you should notify your organization immediately. In many cases, the postal service processed the mail more slowly than anyone anticipated.
The Voting Group tries to send out voting packages at least 30 days before the Meeting/Election in order to give the mail enough time to reach the voters, to allow voters enough time to request a package if they have not received one and to also give voters enough time to return their ballots/proxies by mail.

Question 10

I put the wrong letter in the ballot/proxy return envelope. What happened to it?

Accepted Answer

The Voting Group returns such documents to your organization or association requesting that they forward the document to you.

Question 11

Tabulation seems easy. Why don't organizations and associations do it themselves?

Accepted Answer

Some organizations, associations and companies do tabulate their own ballots and proxies but, by doing so, they open themselves up to conflict of interest charges or claims of impropriety. Another reason is that some of the voting processes can be complicated and time consuming and the organization might not have the knowledge, man power or the time to take on the task.
Most organizations want to avoid any hints of impropriety or conflict of interest so they go to an independent, outside source for vote tabulation and the other services that come with it.

Question 12

If we did it ourselves it would save us money right?

Accepted Answer

NO, not necessarily. Heres why. If shareholders or voters claim there was some form of collusion, impropriety or just a conflict of interest, that could cost the association and the shareholders money in court fees which would far outpace the amount spent on hiring a professional, independent outside organization.
Also, if there was collusion and the wrong person wound up on your Board of Directors, they would have access to your organizations finances which could cost you a significant amount.

Question 13

What is cumulative voting?

Accepted Answer

Cumulative voting allows shareholders toapportion the total number of voting shares they own in any way among the candidates for the board. When cumulative voting is used, a minority of shares may be able to elect one or more directors by giving all of their votes to one or several candidates.

Question 14

Why do so many organizations and companies hold their Annual Meeting in the spring?

Accepted Answer

Most companies and organizations have Decembeer 31 as their fiscal year end date. at that time, they set a record date and within 90 days must have their Annual Meeting. The timing of this sets most meeting dates in the spring.

Question 15

There was no ballot return envelope in my voting package. What should I do?

Accepted Answer

If there isn't a ballot return envelope in your electio package, you should contact management as soon as possible to obtain the correct address. Normally the mail toaddress will appear in another part of the correspondence and then you can mail it yourself.
Or, you can attend the meeting and vote in person.

Question 16

What is a Proxy?

Accepted Answer

The definition of a proxy is (1) the granting of authority by shareholders to others. The authority to represent someone else, especially in voting. A person authorized to act on behalf of another.
(2) A document authorizing a Person to vote on anothers behalf.
So a proxy can be a document or/and a person. It depends on how the term is being used but they are both utilized together. EXAMPLE: If you can not appear in person at the Annual Meeting in order to vote, you can give your proxy (voting document) to your proxy (the person that will vote for you) and they must bring it to the meeting.

Question 17

What if I don't attend the meeting and I don't send in my proxy?

Accepted Answer

Your ownership interests may not be represented at the meeting. If enough shares are not represented at the meeting, in person or by proxy, the meeting may have to be adjourned for lack of a quorum or certain proposals may not have enough votes to pass.
If you do not send in your proxy it may cost your organization more money to hold another election if a quorum is not met.

Question 18

What happens if I don't mark my proxy or ballot.

Accepted Answer

The proxy or ballot normally contains a statement telling you what will happen if you fail to indicate your voting direction. In most cases the people appointed as your proxy will have the power to vote your shares as they see fit. In some cases your shares are voted in the manner recommended by the Board of Directors. In other cases the proxy will be voided.
In the case of ballots, if you do not indicate who you are voting for then no vote will be cast on your behalf but in both cases your ballot or your proxy will be counted towards the quorum.

Question 19

What if I don't sign my proxy or ballot?

Accepted Answer

A proxy or ballot that has not been signed or is improperly signed will not be included in the tabulation and not represented at the meeting (void/disregared).

Question 20

What if I want to attend the meeting?

Accepted Answer

Send in your vote anyway. If youattend the meeting, you will be given the opportunity to vote in person if you wish to change your vote. A vote cast at the meeting, in person, supersedes any proxy previously submitted.

Question 21

What is a ballot?

Accepted Answer

A ballot is the form that is used to vote your interests at a shareholders or unitowners meeting. A proxy holder that wishes to cast a vote at the meeting is given a ballot to vote your shares after they have handed in your proxy form.

Question 22

What is a Special Meeting?

Accepted Answer

A special meeting is any meeting called by stockholders, shareholders or unit owners, outside of the Annual Meeting. A special meeting may be called by the Board of Directors in response to an extraordinary event such as a merger or in reponse to a legitimate request from a shareholder, unitowner or stockholder.

Question 23

What is an Annual Meeting?

Accepted Answer

An Annual Meeting is a yearly event that publically owned corporations and private organizations are required to hold. Annual Meetings are typically when the Board of Directors are elected and decisions are put to the shareholders, unitowners or stockholders concerning actions to be taken in the future.

Question 24

What is an Inspector of Elections?

Accepted Answer

An inspector of elections or election monitor is, or should be, an impartial third party appointed by statute, corporate charter or by law. The inspector typically determines the number of shares outstanding and eligible to vote at the meeting, verifies the existance of a quorum in order to hold the meeting, determines the number of shares represented at the meeting, counts all proxies and ballots, resolves and records any challenges and certifies the results.

THE VOTING GROUP, LLC

1-718-776-1017
1-954-636-8213