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Voter Management and Weighted Voting

Effective voter management ensures that only eligible owners can vote and that voting power is allocated correctly. Propty supports weighted voting (variable voting power per owner) and cumulative voting (distributing power across candidates).

What you'll need
  • Access to the Events section
  • A list of eligible voters with their ownership percentages or lot numbers
  • An understanding of your CC&Rs regarding voting rights
  • The Inspector of Elections (to oversee the voting process)
Voting Rights

Your CC&Rs define who has voting rights and how voting power is calculated. Common methods include: one vote per lot, voting power based on ownership percentage, or weighted votes based on square footage. Ensure your voter list aligns with your CC&Rs before the election.

Understanding Participants vs. Voters​

Participants are people attending the meeting. Voters are participants with the right to cast a ballot.

RoleCan Attend Meeting?Can Vote?Has Voting Power?
Participant (Non-Voter)YesNoNo
VoterYesYesYes
Voter (Weighted)YesYesCustom Power
Manager/StaffYesNoNo

A participant without voting rights can still attend and view the meeting but cannot cast a ballot.

Adding Voters to an Event​

Step 1: Open the Event​

Navigate to Events in the sidebar and click the event to which you want to add voters.

Step 2: Open the Participants Tab​

Click the Participants tab. You'll see a list of all registered attendees.

Step 3: Add a New Voter​

Click Add Voter or Add Participant button at the top of the list.

Step 4: Enter Voter Information​

Fill in the following:

  • Name: Full name of the voter
  • Email: Email address (for check-in links and notifications)
  • Unit/Lot: Property identifier (optional but recommended)
  • Voting Power: Numeric value representing their voting weight (default is 1)

Step 5: Save​

Click Save Voter. The voter is added to the event and appears in the Participants list.

Bulk Add via CSV (Optional)​

To add multiple voters at once:

  1. Click Import Voters or Upload CSV
  2. Prepare a CSV file with columns: Name, Email, Unit, VotingPower
  3. Upload the file
  4. Review the preview
  5. Click Import

Propty validates the file and adds all voters.

Setting Voting Power (Weight)​

Each voter can be assigned a voting power value that determines how much their vote counts. This is called "weighted voting."

Single Lot / One Vote Per Owner​

If each owner gets one vote regardless of property size:

  • Voting Power: 1 for all voters

Ownership Percentage Voting​

If voting power is based on ownership percentage:

  • Voting Power: Enter the percentage as a decimal or whole number
    • Example: Owner with 25% ownership → Voting Power = 25
    • Example: Owner with 0.5% ownership → Voting Power = 0.5

Commercial Property or Mixed-Ownership​

If some units are co-owned:

  • Voting Power: Distribute the vote among co-owners
    • Example: Two co-owners of one unit → Each gets Voting Power = 0.5

Adjusting Voting Power After Creation​

To change a voter's voting power:

  1. Open the event → Participants tab
  2. Find the voter in the list
  3. Click their row to open details
  4. Update the Voting Power field
  5. Click Save

Their new voting power is recorded immediately.

Weighted Voting in Practice​

During voting, the system accounts for weighted voting automatically:

  • A voter with Voting Power = 5 casts 5 votes
  • A voter with Voting Power = 0.5 casts 0.5 votes
  • Final tally counts total voting power, not voter count

Example Election Result:

  • Candidate A: 150 total voting power (weighted)
  • Candidate B: 140 total voting power (weighted)
  • Result: Candidate A wins (even if fewer people voted for them)

Cumulative Voting​

Cumulative voting allows voters to distribute their voting power across multiple candidates. This prevents majority voting blocs from controlling all seats.

Enabling Cumulative Voting​

When creating a poll:

  1. Open the event → Polls tab
  2. Click Create Poll or edit an existing poll
  3. Under Voting Type, select Cumulative
  4. Specify the number of seats available (for example, 5 directors)
  5. Save

How Cumulative Voting Works​

If there are 5 director seats and cumulative voting is enabled:

  • A voter with Voting Power = 1 has 5 total votes to distribute among 5 candidates
  • They can give all 5 votes to one candidate, or split them: 3-1-1, 2-2-1, etc.
  • The system displays a voting power bar showing how much power they've allocated

Example:

  • Voter has 3 votes to allocate (5 seats × 0.6 voting power)
  • They vote: 2 for Alice, 1 for Bob, 0 for Carol
  • Their cumulative power is fully allocated

Checking In Voters​

At the event, voters must check in to confirm their presence:

Step 1: Live Event Begins​

The event is marked Active. Voters begin checking in.

Step 2: Voter Checks In​

Voters receive a check-in link via email or scan a QR code at the meeting.

Step 3: System Records Check-In​

Once checked in, the voter's status changes to Checked In in the Participants list. They are included in the quorum count and can now vote.

Removing Voting Rights​

If a voter should no longer be able to vote (for example, they sold their unit):

  1. Open the event → Participants tab
  2. Find the voter
  3. Click Remove Voting Rights or set Voting Power to 0
  4. Click Save

They remain as a participant and can attend, but cannot vote. To completely remove them:

  1. Click Remove Participant to delete them from the event

Handling Disputes or Changes​

Voter Not in the System?​

If someone eligible arrives and isn't registered:

  1. Click Add Voter mid-event
  2. Enter their information
  3. Verify they are eligible (check against deed or CC&Rs)
  4. Set their voting power
  5. Have them check in immediately

Wrong Voting Power?​

If you discover a voter has the wrong power assigned:

  1. Open the event → Participants tab (before voting starts)
  2. Find the voter and click Edit
  3. Update their voting power
  4. Save

Note: If voting has already started, contact the Inspector of Elections about correcting the record.

Accessibility and Accommodations​

Propty supports accessible voting:

  • Large print ballots: Request during preboard or at check-in
  • Audio ballot readers: Available for visually impaired voters
  • Extended voting time: Voters with mobility issues can vote in a separate area
  • Assisted voting: A designated assistant can help (witness required by law)

Record any accommodations in the participant notes.

Final Voter Count​

Before voting closes, verify your voter count:

  1. Open the event → Participants tab
  2. Look for the Voter Summary:
    • Number of voters checked in
    • Total voting power in the room
    • Quorum status

This helps you confirm voting is complete and accurate.

Quorum Requirements

Your bylaws specify the quorum requirement (often 50% of voting power). Propty displays quorum status in the event dashboard so you can confirm you have the required voting power present before closing the polls.

Next Steps​