Community associations need a minimum number of voters to elect board members, or the election cannot take place.
Assembling that number, known as a quorum, is a daunting challenge for many associations.
The reasons owners don’t vote are varied. Some bear grudges against the board or association. Others like everything the way it is and don’t see a need for change. Still others simply don’t care.
Association attorney Robert Prince, of Chatt & Prince in Hinsdale, sees lack of quorum as a larger issue in common interest communities than in condominium associations, even though state statutes set a higher bar for condominiums.
He explained: The minimum quorum for condominiums is 20 percent of the owners. For common interest communities, a quorum can be as large as 20 percent of the owners or as low as 5 percent of the owners, depending on governing documents.
“Common interest communities are usually much larger and more spread out,” Prince said. “It can be hard to get 20 percent or even 5 percent of 1,000 people to show up at one time.”
Salvatore Sciacca, president at Chicago Property Services in Chicago, said he believes many owners don’t vote because they don’t feel connected to their association.
Industry pros who have tallied many ballots say voter participation can be improved with these recommendations:
Spread the message. Election materials and meeting notices should explain why owner involvement is critical. Make them visually attractive, perhaps decorated with bright graphics or colorful stickers, to stand out from mailbox clutter.
“Many make the mistake of just adding a simple note regarding an upcoming meeting to the cover letter on their billing statement,” said Dan Haumann, president at Advocate Property Management in Naperville.
In extreme case of nonparticipation, a few words from the association’s attorney can help, he added.
Turn the election into a party. Owners are more likely to show up for a social event than for an election.
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“My associations with the highest turnouts serve food,” he said. “One association does potluck. People never miss it.”
Another of Sciacca’s associations books a private room at a restaurant. The association pays for the food, and owners pay for their drinks.
“One board I worked with decided to hold their annual meeting in December, give away raffle prizes and turn it into a Christmas party with food and beverage,” Haumann said. “It worked.”
Door prizes and raffles are fine, but associations are prohibited from awarding free assessments, Prince said.
Collect proxies. A proxy is a document that allows owners to name someone to vote on their behalf. Proxies count toward quorum.
“Some proxies have wording that says something like, ‘Count me for quorum only. I don’t want to vote or designate someone to vote for me,’ ” Prince said.
Some associations distribute general proxies, which are valid for 11 months rather than a single election. Others require proxies from everyone. If owners show up at the meeting to vote in person, their proxies are destroyed.
“We have sent out extra proxies to board members, so they can go door to door and get proxies from those who don’t often open their mail and aren’t aware that the annual meeting is coming up,” Haumann said.
Be a productive board. Owners are turned off when meetings drag on or when boards argue or delay making decisions.
“If they see good harmony and good procedures and good communication, people will want to be a part of it, which will include the annual meeting,” Sciacca said.
Build community connections. Sciacca is a strong supporter of social events where neighbors can meet and mingle.
“The better everyone knows each other, the better things will go,” he said. “That doesn’t mean everyone always likes each other, but everyone will be better off in the end.”