Opinions about “voting by email or email voting” are insightful thus far but I did not mean absentee voting.
The issue of protecting the privacy of the voter and ballot that is cast is valid. I did not anticipate that rationale. Also, I did not know that voting methods could be eliminated via bylaws, i.e., no absentee voting.
Now I would like to steer in a different direction. First, additional background:
Several lot owners in my road association would gladly eliminate meeting face to face. They still value having a statutory association but falter in understanding that the annual road association meeting is similar to a town meeting having legal foundations. Bottom line message: we are computer savvy and don’t want to give up personal time for a one-on-one meeting.
My viewpoint (as a Lot Owner and association leader):
Annual in-person road association meetings provide opportunity for verbally expressing responses and opinions and receiving reaction in real time with real people. It also allows for debate, persuasion, and compromise. A vote cast via email does not.
Voting on contracts, repairs and maintenance items needs to be approved at in-person road association meeting because it is fiscally and legally responsible, plus it allows for debate, persuasion, and compromise. A vote cast via email does not.
Conclusion: Thus far, the MARA answers to my questions for the Lot Owners are…
· Why is voting by email prohibited in MRS Title 23, section3101, subsection 5? Answer: Voter and ballot privacy must be protected.
- When is voting by email allowed for road association business? Answer: When it is part of absentee balloting.
· Can voting by email on monetary issues be used if a dollar limit is set? Answer: Yes.
Is this valid?