FROM CHAOS TO CONTROL: RUNNING BETTER BOARD MEETINGS
/
This scenario describes a board president who arrives unprepared, starts meetings late, and insists on rigid procedures, leading to long, disorganized, and unproductive gatherings. To improve, boards should plan meetings in advance, use agendas, and select professional meeting spaces that encourage efficiency. Presidents should start on time, set an adjournment time, and use tools like unanimous consent and timed agendas to keep discussions focused. By managing discussion, requiring new business in advance, and using informal procedures when appropriate, boards can run shorter, more effective, and more productive meetings.
Read More: LawFirmCarolinas
Voting in and Around Association Membership Meetings
/This article was originally published on March 14, 2025 by Jim Slaughter for Law Firm Carolinas Blog.
Important Note: Every community association operates under its own governing documents, and different rules may apply based on state law, bylaws, articles of incorporation, type of association (homeowner association or condominium), and even when the association was created. As a result, this article provides a general discussion of voting methods but is not legal advice. If your association needs guidance on a specific situation, consult one of the community association attorneys at Law Firm Carolinas.
We often get questions about how community association membership meetings can vote before, during, and after meetings. With statutory changes made during the past few years, there are now several options—so many that it can get confusing. Below is a summary of common voting methods and their requirements for homeowner and condominium associations holding annual or special membership meetings. These methods follow the NC Nonprofit Corporation Act (NCGS Chapter 55A) and related statutes.
1. In-Person Meetings
The traditional way of conducting an association meeting still works. Members attend in person and cast their votes during the meeting. If a member cannot attend, they can send a proxy—a written authorization allowing someone else at the meeting to vote on their behalf.
Key rules for in-person meetings:
Quorum requirements: A certain number of members must be present for a vote to count. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, quorum is often 10% of the votes for planned communities and 20% of the votes for condominiums.
Proxy voting: Unless prohibited by the bylaws, members can typically authorize another person to attend and vote for them.
2. Virtual Meetings
Since COVID, associations can now hold virtual membership meetings, often using platforms like Zoom. Voting in these meetings can vary depending on the association’s size due to practicalities:
Smaller associations can vote by raising hands on camera or using Zoom’s voting feature.
Larger associations usually need a separate electronic voting system, as Zoom voting can be impractical.
NC State law allows virtual meetings (by “remote communication”) if the association verifies that those participating are members and provides them a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters.
Note: It is possible to have a virtual meeting with some members in-person, whether at a clubhouse or another location participating virtually as a group. In other words, there might be a television screen at the clubhouse where 10 people are gathered and another 20 participating virtually from their homes. Don’t think of this as an in-person meeting. It’s a VIRTUAL meeting where some members are gathered in one location. Any voting should be done by everyone using the same voting platform.
3. Hybrid Option – Virtual Meeting with Written Ballots Following the Meeting
A popular approach combines a virtual meeting with voting by written ballot after the meeting. This method has several benefits:
Virtual meetings encourage higher attendance and allow for full discussion.
Avoiding real-time electronic voting reduces complications.
In this model, the association announces a virtual meeting but notes that all formal decisions—such as officer elections and budget ratification—will be made through a written ballot sent out afterward.
Key rules for written ballots:
The ballot must allow members to vote for or against each proposal.
It must include a deadline for submission, after which ballots will not be counted.
Enough ballots must be received to meet quorum requirements.
Ballots can be mailed to owners or sent by electronic means (if the owner has consented to transact business electronically with the association). Once mailed, the ballots can also be sent via email attachment and possibly even sent a second time (by mail or email attachment) by the association to members who have not responded.
Once submitted, written ballots cannot be revoked.
4. Electronic Voting Without a Meeting
Another option is electronic voting that happens entirely outside of a meeting. This method was authorized during COVID but is more complicated.
For an association to conduct electronic voting without a meeting, the law requires:
Member consent: Members must have previously agreed in writing to conduct business with the association electronically.
Quorum requirements: Enough members must vote electronically to meet the same quorum rules as an in-person meeting.
Fair process: The voting deadline must be clear, and the voting method must allow members to cast their votes securely.
Since not all members have likely consented to electronic voting, this method often requires a mix of both electronic and written ballots, making it more complicated than other options. As a result, we seldom see votes conducted only by electronic voting without a meeting.
5. Notice Requirements for All Meetings
For any membership meeting—whether in person, virtual, or hybrid—members must receive advance notice.
For homeowner associations subject to the NC Planned Community Act or condominium subject to the NC Condominium Act, notice to members must be sent at least 10 days before the meeting and no more than 60 days in advance.
The notice must include the date, time, and location of the meeting.
If it’s a special meeting, the notice must also include the purpose of the meeting.
Members who have agreed to electronic communication may receive the notice by email.
6. Proxies
A proxy is essentially a power of attorney granted by a member to another individual, authorizing them to attend a meeting and act on the member’s behalf. While state statutes encourage the use of proxies, they do not require associations to distribute proxy forms to members or to adopt a standardized format—unless the association’s bylaws provide otherwise. That said, proxies are frequently used to help establish a quorum and facilitate voting at meetings.
There are actually five different types of proxies: general, directed, limited, limited directed, and quorum proxies. The most common and easiest to use is the general proxy. For more details, refer to page 94 of my book, Robert’s Rules of Order Fast Track.
While a proxy could theoretically be used for any type of meeting or vote—including ballot votes distributed to all members—it’s generally unnecessary. In most cases, the member can simply complete and return the ballot themselves. Proxies in those situations are typically only used under unusual circumstances, such as extended travel or military deployment. In practice, proxies are almost always reserved for in-person membership meetings.
Final Thoughts
Association voting rules can be complicated, and different associations may have additional rules in their bylaws or governing documents. If you’re unsure about the best voting method for your association, it’s always a good idea to consult with an attorney who regularly practices community association law.
By following these guidelines, your association can ensure fair, legal, and efficient voting—no matter what format you choose!
Verify: Can HOA boards skip meetings and elections?
/
The North Carolina Planned Community Act mandates HOAs to hold an annual meeting, but elections for directors aren't required every year. Homeowners can seek elections if it's an election year by writing to the board or, as a last resort, hiring an attorney to sue the board. Reviewing bylaws and organizing a special meeting with the support of 10% to 20% of owners is also an option.
For Full Article Click Here.
New South Carolina Bill Would Allow Virtual Membership Meetings for HOAs
/
After the COVID Pandemic, people became more comfortable with meeting virtually, due the this, South Carolina is considering a bill that would allow participation for HOA meetings to be virtual. Click for more information.
5 Helpful HOA Board Meeting Tips
/HOA board meetings are conducted with only the executive board present. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss topics pertaining to the operation of the association. This may include business operations, financial expenditures, voting on action items, delinquent assessments, legal issues, or other confidential topics. AMG knows executive Board members need tools to help them perform their duties right away. We have prepared a Board Member Toolkit to help our community leaders be more effective.
Here are 5 tips to help board members have more effective meetings.
1. Always Be Early. When the board meeting has a scheduled time, all members should arrive early so the meeting can be formally called to order at the designated meeting time. It is very important that all board members are in place when the meeting is formerly called to order.
2. Always Be Prepared. Arrive at the board meeting ready to do business. Be prepared for the meeting and be well versed on the agenda if it was provided in advance.
3. Be Prepared to Conduct Business. The HOA board meeting is a formal meeting, and its purpose is to conduct business. It is essential that each member come with the attitude to conduct business. Learn more about Board member ethics in our Toolkit.
4. Follow Carefully as the HOA President or Designated Leader Directs the Meeting. Most formal board meetings follow Parliamentary Procedure. AMG offers a Toolkit with The Best Information on Parliamentary Procedure.
5. Help Your Board by Being a Good Board Member. Make it a priority to be in attendance at all board meetings. These helpful Guidelines will be a valuable resource for conducting a meeting.
This list is a good place to start if you are a new board member, and it can be a great reminder for seasoned board members. If all board members work together the board can be very effective in conducting business for the operation of the HOA.
Association Management Group has prepared a Board Education & Toolkit for HOAs. Over the last 30 years, it has become clear to AMG that well-informed executive Board members make better community leaders.
AMG knows executive Board members need tools to help them perform their duties right away. The following are six tools that Board members tell us they appreciate. Read Here
Making Board Members Efficient
/Listen Now
Do Board Meetings have you feeling down or feeling stressed out? Are you struggling to get volunteers to be on the Board, or getting members to come to your meetings? What are some simple strategies to get greater participation from your community? Tune in to learn more ways to help make Board meetings more efficient, less stressful, and more streamlined.
To view our AMG Community Leaders Material from this episode visit hoacommunityleaders.com.
New Legislation Allows North Carolina Condominium and Homeowners Association Residents to Conduct Virtual Meetings
/For Immediate Release
Contact: Amy Hawkes Repke, arepke@caionline.org, 703-970-9239
Leslie Blum, Leslie.blum@cai-nc.org, 919-525-4993
New Legislation Allows North Carolina Condominium and Homeowners Association Residents to Conduct Virtual Meetings
Sept. 21, 2021—Falls Church, VA—Community Associations Institute (CAI) applauds Governor Cooper and the North Carolina General Assembly for the recent passage of HB 320 Modernize Remote Business Access, new legislation allowing community associations to conduct their association’s board and annual meetings virtually.
The legislation supports the 2.8 million North Carolina residents living in the state’s 14,000 community associations, commonly referred to as condominiums, homeowners associations, and housing cooperatives.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, community associations were required to host in-person meetings. Once the pandemic forced residents to shelter in place, CAI and the Institute’s North Carolina Legislative Action Committee began advocating for new laws to assist community associations officially conduct business. On Dec. 31, 2020, the state’s emergency executive orders authorized a board “in its sole discretion” to determine that all or any part of a membership meeting may be conducted by remote communication and remote balloting. Since December, North Carolina residents immediately voiced a preference to this type of meeting.
“Virtual meetings have increased the efficiency and resident participation of meetings resulting in more community engagement, as well as offering a cost-effective way to share information and documents,” says, Paul Mengert, CMCA, PCAM, chair and federal liaison of the CAI North Carolina Legislative Action Committee. “While compromise was needed by all parties to move this legislation forward, we are very pleased the legislature and Governor recognized the need to support virtual meetings in North Carolina communities.” added Mengert.
CAI-NC Offers Educational Webinar About HB 320 Oct. 5, 2021 – All are welcome! Info & Registration here.
Since March 2020, nearly half (47%) of associations say they’re now hosting virtual board meetings and 49% of associations report that virtual meetings have increased efficiency for association operations, according to CAI’s Virtual Meeting & Electronic Voting Survey results. According to CAI, the North Carolina Legislative Action Committee worked closely with lawmakers to help craft the legislation so that it is meaningful to homeowners living in community associations and their governing boards of directors. “The new legislation is a huge win for North Carolina community association residents,” says Thomas M. Skiba, CAE CAI’s chief executive officer. “We’ve witnessed the pandemic change the way companies conduct business and community associations are no exception. We believe that the best communities have highly engaged members and by creating new channels of communication, more residents have the opportunity to be heard—increasing homeowner participation and collaboration to make important decisions for the community.”
Today, 12 states have statutes that allow for remote or virtual meetings, six states initially enacted emergency powers that allow associations to meet virtually with both Connecticut and North Carolina passing and enacting state statutes since the start of the pandemic. For a full list, visit at www.caionline.org/virtualmeetings.
About Community Associations Institute
Since 1973, Community Associations Institute (CAI) has been the leading provider of resources and information for homeowners, volunteer board leaders, professional managers, and business professionals in the more than 355,000 homeowners associations, condominiums, and housing cooperatives in the United States and millions of communities worldwide. With more than 42,000 members, CAI works in partnership with 36 legislative action committees and 63 affiliated chapters within the U.S., Canada, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates as well as with housing leaders in several other countries, including Australia, Spain, and the United Kingdom. A global nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, CAI is the foremost authority in community association management, governance, education, and advocacy. Our mission is to inspire professionalism, effective leadership, and responsible citizenship—ideals reflected in community associations that are preferred places to call home. Visit us at www.caionline.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook @CAISocial.
CAI-North Carolina Chapter is one of more than 60 Community Associations Institute chapters across the US and around the globe.
The Coronavirus, Flu, and HOA/Condo Association Meetings
/This is one of three articles on dealing with the Coronavirus and its impact. This blog looks at how associations (particularly boards) transact business outside of in-person meetings. See also Coronavirus: What Should Homeowner and Condominium Associations Do? and “Let’s Have Our Meeting or Convention Online!”
Read the full story here: http://lawfirmcarolinas.com/blog/the-coronavirus-flu-and-hoa-condo-association-meetings/
Five Key Factors To Operating A Successful HOA Meeting.
/
Great HOA boards hold efficient, productive meetings while still offering a platform for homeowners to air opinions and board members to discuss, debate and take action on various issues. There are five key factors to operating a successful board meeting.
Having a set format or procedure for the meetings will help keep things running smoothly. Some associations abide by the Robert's Rules of Order and many simply have their own meeting procedure.
Having all board members in one mindset with one common goal is essential in running successful meetings.
Great boards with dedicated members will successfully handle all of these areas while conducting the meeting.
Keep the meeting running on time and according to the planned agenda.
Remain clear on priorities and keep them in order. (Don't get sidetracked)
Delegate responsibility for every action or implemented item voted on
Focus on the success of the overall meeting
Listen to and manage homeowners comments and complaints with professionalism.
