We are now well into our "season" in Florida and most resident owned communities will be holding their annual meetings during the next few months.  It’s thus a very good time to remind my blog readers that are members of condominium or cooperative associations of some of the important differences between ballots and proxies:

• In general, neither general proxies nor limited proxies can be used to elect the directors of a condominium or cooperative association.   The applicable provisions of the Florida Statutes that deal with the election of directors of condominium associations (F.S. Section 718.112(2)(d)) and cooperative associations (F.S. Section 719.106(1)(d)) specify that the members of the board of directors shall be elected by "written ballot or voting machine".   While the majority of voting interests in a condominium association with ten or fewer units or a cooperative association can provide in their association’s bylaws for a different voting procedure that allows for elections to be conducted by limited or general proxy, I suspect that the bylaws governing most ROCs do not allow for this alternative procedure.
• F.S. Sections 718.112(2)(b) and 719.106(1)(b) provide that, unless the association’s bylaws provide for a different percentage, the percentage of voting interests required to constitute a meeting of the members shall be a majority of the voting interests (in other words, 50 percent plus one) and that, unless otherwise provided in the association’s governing documents or the applicable Chapter of the Florida Statutes (either 718 or 719), "decisions shall be made by owners of a majority of the voting interests represented at a meeting at which a quorum is present".    While limited proxies or general proxies can be used to establish a quorum as provided in Sections 718.112(2)(b) and 719.106(1)(b), ballots cannot be used for this purpose.   In other words, in order for a member to be counted as "present" in establishing a quorum at the annual meeting (or other membership meeting), that member must either be present in person at the meeting or have delivered his properly executed general or limited proxy to his proxy holder or the association prior to the meeting.
• Neither general proxies nor ballots can be used for votes to waive or reduce the statutory reserves otherwise required by statute or to waive the financial reporting requirements of F.S. Section 718.111(13) (for condominium associations) or F.S. Section 719.104(4)(b).  The only way a unit owner can validly vote on these matters is either by limited proxy or in person at the meeting where the voting occurs.
• The election of directors occurs at the annual meeting even If a quorum cannot be established at that meeting if at least twenty percent of the eligible voters have cast a ballot in that election, as provided in F.S. 718.112(2)(d)3 and F.S. 719.106(1)(d)1.

The provisions governing timeshares and mandatory homeowners associations are somewhat different and members of timeshare communities and subdivisions should consult with their association’s attorney for additional information.