J.R. from outside of Connecticut writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
How many proxy votes can one person control and place?
Mister Condo replies:
J.R., voting by proxy is a common practice. The rules that govern how many proxy votes that a single person can control vary by governing documents (many are silent on the subject) and state laws. In my state of Connecticut, proxy votes are generally limited to not more than 15% of the total eligible votes for most matters. That means that if an association has 100 units, the proxy voter could cast votes for their own unit plus 14 others. Any additional proxy votes they held would not be counted. There is also the concept of limited proxy voting, meaning a unit owner has given another unit owner a proxy for a particular item. This is most common for things like voting in favor or against an Annual Budget or a Special Assessment. The single most important item to consider when proxy votes are used is that the person or persons counting the proxy votes understands both the association’s rules on proxy voting as well as the state laws on proxy voting. I have seen and heard first-hand accounts of associations that get this wrong and later have a unit owner contest the results of a vote. Depending on what is being voted on, this could be quite costly to the association. Imagine passing a Special Assessment and the proxy votes were tabulated incorrectly. The association hires a contractor only to have the vote challenged and thrown away. Now the association is on the hook to the contactor and won’t have the money to pay. Yikes! If you or your association is unsure about the exact process for how proxy votes should be used at your association, I recommend you speak with a locally qualified community association attorney who can give you an opinion on what your governance documents and state law say about the matter. That way, you will be in full compliance with both. Good luck!