Each association defines its own rules for voting at General Meetings (GM), in accordance with its bylaws. These rules determine who may vote, how the ballots are conducted and what consequences the results have on the decisions taken by the association.
Participation in your association depends to a large extent on who can vote at the General Meeting, how the voting process works, and the effects of the decisions taken. Let's take a closer look at these steps to better understand and apply these fundamental rules, essential to the smooth running of your association.
Voter identification
In general, all members of an association are invited to attend general meetings and exercise their right to vote. However, the articles of association may impose specific conditions to restrict this right, such as a minimum length of membership, age requirements or regular payment of dues.
Only members meeting these criteria receive an invitation to vote at the meeting. It's important to note that certain people connected with your association, such as employees or supporters, may be invited, but without voting rights.
Invitations to general meetings must be prepared and sent by the person or body designated by your association's bylaws or internal regulations.
Voting procedure
The procedure for voting, whether by show of hands or secret ballot, is generally specified in your association's articles of association. Every item on the agenda must be put to the vote, and the Chairman of the meeting may not pass over an item in silence, nor close the meeting until all subjects have been dealt with.
Secret ballots are often reserved for the election or dismissal of Board members, but can also be requested by one or more association members.
The Covid-19 pandemic introduced the possibility of remote voting, which enabled associative activities to be maintained despite the restrictions associated with confinement.
Voting results and implications
The results of General Meeting votes are binding on your association as soon as they reach the majority defined in the Articles of Association.
There are several types of majority depending on the decisions to be made:
- Simple majority: positive votes outweigh negative votes, regardless of the total number of votes.
- Absolute majority: more than half the votes cast, plus one.
- Qualified majority: for important decisions or extraordinary general meetings, a higher proportion is often required, such as two-thirds or three-quarters of the votes.
- Unanimity: each member has veto power, and all votes must be in agreement.
In addition, it is essential for your association to take into account the quorum, which is the minimum number of members present required for decisions to be valid.