Category: Voting system

An annual shareholder meeting is one of the main ways in which a company decides its future. Not only is it the right time to gauge the success of investments, but it also gives shareholders the opportunity to discuss business challenges and strategies.

 

What should be discussed at a shareholders’ meeting?

A meeting of shareholders is the ideal time and place to discuss any topic related to a company and its past, current, and future projects. Every individual shareholder is considered to be an owner of the company and has the right to be informed about business activities. 

The exact themes that will be covered during a shareholders’ meeting change between the nature of the business and the personal interests of the shareholders. Certain overarching topics are nonetheless common in yearly meetings.

 

Examples of these include:

• Administrative tasks: Changes to the bylaws can be proposed, discussed, and voted upon during a company’s annual meeting. Thanks to online voting system implementation, voting can be performed in a fast and confidential manner. This means that the time it would take to organize a vote can be better spent discussing other important manners. 
• The board of directors: The election of directors may become relevant if there is a potential change in leadership. When this happens, shareholders are entitled to vote for the board of directors or to elect new board members.
• Company values: A company’s civic responsibility, accountability, philosophy, and drive to innovate play a large role in distinguishing it from the rest. An annual meeting is a great moment to discuss a company’s mission, vision, and other overarching themes that define its identity. 
• Goals: Having clear short- and long-term goals is indispensable for the efficient functioning of a business. Annual meetings are prime time to let all members and investors know more about current and future strategic actions. Information about future expectations should also be made available. 
• Results: shareholders should receive tangible information about how the business is doing. An annual report containing quantifiable evidence of a business’s performance will be expected by everyone in attendance. Likewise, information about an increase in the workforce, customer base, or cash flow will be very valuable to shareholders.

 

 

How do you conduct an annual shareholders’ meeting?

There is no specific set of steps to follow during a shareholders’ meeting and most corporations design the procedures that fit them best. The actual way the meeting will be conducted is up to the board members, who are the ones who decide how much time every keynote speaker has, if the meeting will be recorded, and so on.

 

Scheduling a shareholders’ meeting

To begin with, all shareholders should receive an invitation to the meeting. Registered holders have the right to vote on the election of the board of directors regardless of how many shares they own in the company. In addition, shareholders who meet certain requirements should be able to make their own nominations. 

The following information should be made available to shareholders prior to an annual meeting: 

• Proposed resolutions
• Company reports
• Supporting documentation
• Meeting minutes from the last annual shareholder meeting

 

Preparing the minutes

The minutes are a written record that outlines all the special meeting decisions. Someone in an administrative position, such as a secretary, is typically responsible for the elaboration of this document. There is no rule stating how long or specific meeting minutes must be, but it is in the best interest of shareholders that these are as detailed as possible. Minutes help one understand the main ideas and outcomes of a shareholders’ meeting. 

 

 

6 tips to conduct an annual shareholders meeting

1. Invest in a digital voting platform 

The implementation of an online voting system will simplify the vast majority of logistic tasks related to decision-making, incentivize a fast and dynamic conversational flow, and protect every shareholder’s personal data from cyber-security threats.

The competencies of an innovative online voting platform allow companies to: 

 

• Provide an intuitive voting experience: Digital voting platforms can be accessed from any device capable of accessing the Internet. This allows shareholders to view proposals and vote on them from the comfort of their smartphones. 
• Offer multiple voting methods: Not only is the software’s functionality and user interface designed with maximum appeal in mind, but it is also highly customizable. Companies can decide on the voting methods, branding options, languages, and much more.
• Automatically keep track of results: Security features keep voting data safe via encryption but it is nonetheless easily accessible to those with the right credentials. Voting data is gathered in real-time, and the results can be made public as soon as the voting period ends. This saves a considerable amount of time and stress, making any kind of meeting a much more agreeable and an engaging experience.

 

 

Learn more 

 

 

2. Preparing for a Q&A session is essential

When someone invests in a company, they always do it looking to benefit. While some shareholders only care about how their money is being invested, others have a genuine interest in a company and the products or services it produces. Regardless of their incentives, all shareholders should have the time to ask about the topics that concern them.

Questions can be about any theme relating to the company, but the following items can be expected: 

• Annual and quarterly performance.
• Information regarding board diversity and gender pay equity.
• Security concerns, whether from cybersecurity threats or company policy regarding gun safety, CCTV systems, and similar themes. 
• Improvements to the company’s social responsibility policy.
• Information about new products or the use of intellectual properties.

Presiding officers who will be responsible for answering questions should be well-versed in a broad range of topics related to the functioning and image of the company. If any difficult questions are anticipated, then these should be pre-meditated before the Q&A session in order to deliver brief, clear, and reliable answers. For instance, if a merger or acquisition has been proposed, the details of this proposal should be made clear to all shareholders.

 

 

3. Take advantage of social media

Social media sites have become efficient promotional tools for every product and service on the market. Companies with a distinguished social media presence can use that outreach to let the world know what important and inspirational developments have happened during an annual business meeting. 

Depending on the nature, size, and scope of a company, it may be advantageous for the social media and legal teams to communicate and decide what is the best content to display on the Internet. Some information that social media users could find exciting might also be of a sensitive nature or could be posted in a way that goes against company policy. 

 

 

4. Security should be a major concern

Just as with any public event, an annual shareholders’ meeting is a gathering of people and should therefore be handled with the best security measures available. Depending on the size of a company and the number of shareholders, distinct actions can be taken to protect everyone’s identity, personal space, and physical integrity. 

Proper security is a considerable logistic challenge. Companies must consider how safe their venue is and must also discern if personnel will be required to ask for the identification of check bags. 

Regarding the digital identity of shareholders, the most effective method of keeping it safe is via encryption algorithms. Implementing an online voting system helps keep the personal information of the members of any kind of organization safe from hackers or other malicious third parties by keeping it in encrypted, secure databases. 

 

Top features your online voting system should have

 

 

5. Set rules for journalists and other guests

Sometimes journalists and other individuals will show interest in attending a shareholders’ meeting. Companies can always take advantage of the free press, but it is indispensable to guarantee these individuals don’t become a nuisance to shareholders. 

If guests are going to be present at a shareholders’ meeting, then a special meeting area should be separated for them. This way they can keep to their duties without interfering. Companies should make clear what their questions policy is to avoid shareholders being interrupted by inappropriate questions. 

 

 

6. Keep shareholders informed

The relationship between a company and its shareholders does not end once a meeting is over. Many shareholders have a busy schedule and can’t actively engage with the companies they invest in. Reaching out to shareholders to communicate business matters that concern them is a great way of letting them know that their money is in good hands.

Shareholder engagement can be easily managed to make sure everyone has the right information about past and future annual meetings. Thanks to the notification solutions integrated into Option.vote’s online voting platform, the shareholders of a company can receive alerts and reminders to let them know when the next annual meeting is coming and what are their duties and responsibilities.

 

What is an online voting system?

Being part of an election administration can be a daunting task. When running an election, there are many things to consider and many more that can go wrong. There are two main ways to manage an election: either you run it by yourself or partner with a team of voting specialists. 

 

Self-service: creating and running votes without assistance

If you’re able to handle the administration of multiple tasks simultaneously, then you can consider running an election by yourself. However, you should know that an election is constituted by many factors. Unless your election is run at a very small scale, you may require the assistance of several people. 

Benefits of self-managed elections

• Quickness
• Simplicity

 

Quickness

The obvious benefit of a self-administered election is the speed at which it can be deployed. If you need to organize a small election at very short notice, then handling the process by yourself might be the way to go. 

 

An election process handled by a single individual can be deployed as fast as said individual is able to plan and implement strategies. Nonetheless, he/she will most likely still require the help of others. Democracy is a team sport, and there are many roles to fulfill in order to achieve well-managed elections.

 

To begin with, elections need someone to manage the polls on election day. A voting ceremony commonly occurs during the span of a single day, making it impossible for one person to attend multiple polling locations. Even if voting is to occur from a single place, the certification of all eligible voters and the counting of votes may be too much for a single individual to handle. 

 

Naturally, you may consider assigning these tasks to people within your organization. After all, they are the first beneficiaries of the voting process. However, a lopsided election administration generates feelings of mistrust among the voting population. A potential conflict of interest may be enough to compromise the integrity of the election and can lead to legal disputes with dissatisfied voters.

How to make sure your union election is fair

 

Simplicity

Sometimes too many cooks spoil the broth. Democracy is a slow process, and in some cases quickly setting up the ballot takes priority. Because the complexity of a self-managed election lies in the hands of one person, it only needs to be as complicated as that person requires it to be. 

 

Nevertheless, keeping it simple might not be a simple task to accomplish. In order for a voting process to be simple, it must be simple for everybody. Traditional or alternative voting procedures that work fine for some people but create challenges for others pose the risk of alienating voters.  

 

If you’re looking for a voting method that all your voters will find appealing, you should consider online voting. A modern online voting platform can be easily accessed via a computer or smartphone. In addition, the best online voting systems on the market perform tasks such as counting votes and reporting election results automatically. This allows a single person to plan an online election, sit back, and relax while the software handles everything.

 

 

Managed services: getting help with important aspects of your voting process

Voting is a communal activity, meant to be performed by multiple individuals. Just as everyone’s choices are made valid through voting, their opinions about the election administration are also valuable. Furthermore, a partnership with election experts gives you access to their skills and expertise.

 

Benefits of managed elections

• Scalability
• Security
• Voter support
• Integrating technology

 

Scalability

The main disadvantage of self-administered elections is the inability of the election administration to scale operations. When working with other people, tasks can be delegated and shared. Thus, voting can be easier to manage and more people can gain access to the ballots. While this requires an extra logistical effort, the benefits of having more hands to help with an election often outweigh disadvantages.

 

Security

Managed elections are better suited to protect voting rights. Additionally, an election managed by a team of experts is designed with auditors in mind. This feature helps the voting process stay transparent and easily verifiable by outside observers. Auditing is a common official voting procedure, and every election administrator should keep it in high regard for the duration of the election period.

 

Another aspect where security is of major concern is voter information. Registered voters must certify their identity to vote, and that usually involves sharing sensitive data such as their full name, address, and other demographic data. Voting experts can set up security measures to protect that data and ensure it stays away from identity thieves and other malicious third parties.

What to look for in an online voting system

 

Voter support

When working alongside people with expert knowledge about running elections, you’re providing your voters with a top-tier support team. Not only do voting experts provide technical support for voters and administrators, but they also provide the electorate with tools to improve their participation. 

 

Thanks to the capabilities of state-of-the-art voting software, special alerts can be set up to remind the electorate to exercise their voting rights. For instance, the shareholders of a company can receive notifications regarding future meetings, marginal notes, and other electoral activities.

 

A digital voting platform can be customized in several ways to achieve the greatest comfort for voters. When a board of directors’ votes on a unanimous shareholder agreement, online voting can make the process clear for all. The software can be set up to remind all shareholders about marginal notes and other information crucial for the decision-making process.

 

Integrating technology

Unless the person who handles a self-administered election is well-versed in the programming of digital apps, there are very few methods that can be used to run an election. The most popular traditional voting method, using paper ballots and counting them by hand, faces considerable issues such as low voter turnout and the fragility of paper ballots. 

 

A digital voting screen can provide the electorate with a wide variety of improvements to the ballot. An intuitive visual interface helps voters understand what processes they need to fulfill to cast their ballot successfully. Voter registration and verification can be handled by artificial intelligence seamlessly. This saves both the election administration and voters a lot of time and effort. 

 

Because online voting platforms can be accessed from various devices, participants of a digital election can vote at their own leisure. This helps people feel more comfortable with their electoral activities and thereby increases voter turnout.

 

 

Digitalize your voting process 

You can improve your voting process by using a digital voting solution. Whether you’re looking into organizing an election by yourself, with a small group, or with multiple people on a large scale, online voting can help you run faster, safer, and more transparent elections. 

 

Option.vote’s professional online voting system can adapt to any kind of situation where ballots are involved. Online voting allows any person with a device to connect to the Internet to have their voices heard. From government official elections to surveys and even TV contests, the capabilities of the Option.vote platform are limitless.

 

Voters benefit from having access to a fast and intuitive platform together with full technical support before, during, and after the election takes place. In turn, the election administration can customize the voting experience to fit the needs of the organization or brand. All parties involved in an election can rely on the safety and effectiveness of the robust system architecture of Option.vote’s online voting system to have the best voting experience. 

Organize your election

 

A democracy is more than just the right to vote once every four years. In a democracy, the government exists first and foremost for the people and by the people. The practice of free and fair elections gives us the power to decide our futures and change our countries for the better.

 

What are free and fair elections?

A free and fair electoral process guarantees that all eligible voters are able to exercise their right to vote without fearing for their safety or integrity. Free and fair elections are secure, easy to audit, and totally inclusive. 

The American political theorist Robert Dahl describes a free and fair democratic process as a system in which “coercion is comparably uncommon”. Dahl stated that the most basic democratic principle is “the continuing responsiveness of the government to the preferences of its citizens, considered as political equals” (source). In a truly fair democratic process, the voice of every voter is taken into account and no one has to be afraid of speaking their mind.

 

What makes elections free and fair?

Elections are free and fair when all participants can vote for the candidates or political parties of their choice without any fear of fraud or personal repercussions. Election administrators must keep vigilant before, during, and after the electoral process to guarantee free, fair, and secure elections. 

When the democratic process is respected, rules are put in place to organize voter registration, political campaigning, the ease of voting, and the autonomy of electoral commissions. A solid and streamlined voting system gives the electorate access to information, allowing people to freely make their choices prior to a future election.

There are certain strategies an organization or electoral body can take to ensure the best democratic standards are achieved. A digital system can be put in place to keep elections organized and efficient. An online voting system can optimize and hasten the electoral process while also safeguarding the identity and physical integrity of all eligible voters.

What is an online voting system?

 

1. An open voter registration process

A citizen’s right to vote is the backbone of a healthy democracy. The first step towards guaranteeing free and fair elections is to give all eligible voters the opportunity and the right tools to register to vote.  The protection and encouragement of voter registration are fundamental for the even-handed practice of democracy. 

After all, taking away voter registration rights is one of the main tactics used by autocrats to take power away from the people. For example, when the Nazis rose to power in 1930s Germany, one of the first actions they took was to censor all individuals and political parties who stood in opposition to their ideology (source). 

Naturally, a democracy must put specific restrictions on who is able to vote. It is required for voters to reach the age majority in their country before they can participate in presidential elections. Likewise, people with a criminal history are barred from voting under several countries’ election laws. Besides those particular cases, any citizen who meets the eligibility requirements to vote must be able to register.

 

2. Reliable information is freely available to voters

 

Prof. Joseph Stiglitz, the author of The Price of Inequality, states that “a well-informed citizenry is important for a well-functioning democracy, and that in turn requires an active and diverse media” (source). Even if 100% of the electorate is allowed to freely cast their ballot, an election can’t be considered fair if voters make their choices based on disinformation and hearsay. 

Many oppressive regimes around the world claim they are democratic because they practice some form of election process. However, by mandating unbalanced media coverage and limiting the opposition’s chances to campaign, they handicap political parties. Even in this day and age, restricting the population’s right to be informed and similar human rights violations are a commonplace occurrence in countries such as Hungary and Chechnya. 

 

3. Citizens are allowed to run for office

Every citizen of a country who is eligible to vote must also be permitted to run for office. Just as a government can’t prevent the general population from participating in a federal election, it can’t disallow any eligible individual from becoming the next president.

While this principle takes center stage in the political activities of the EU, it is seldom seen in states like Russia, where it is completely absent. When a potential candidate is prevented from running for office, a whole sector of the electorate is negatively impacted, as they are deprived of having another valid option to vote for. 

 

4. An all-inclusive voting process

Simply put, every citizen who is eligible to vote and has registered to vote must be able to freely practice that right. Any government or organization that administers an election must make strides to make voting a reasonable possibility for the citizenry. 

Even if there is no intention to harm the integrity of the elections, these can still see themselves compromised due to unforeseen issues. For instance, access to polling stations can be severely limited to people with a disability or a health condition that impairs their movement in some way. Likewise, people who live too far from polling stations rely on having the means to get there to vote. 

Both of these problems can be easily circumvented with the use of a digital voting platform. Online voting brings those who face challenges when voting closer to the ballot boxes. Users of state-of-the-art online voting solutions can vote over the distance from their phone, tablet, or computer if they wish.

Top features of an online voting system

 

5. Everyone can vote without fearing for their safety

If an election is not safe, then it is not free. When voters are threatened with violence, legal repercussions, or a similar form of punishment, their rights are directly attacked. Any government or organization that doesn’t crack down on intimidation tactics is an accomplice via inaction. Ideally, election day should be celebrated peacefully and wholeheartedly by all parties.

It is important to note that violence during elections is not always observed explicitly. A government with ill intentions may be prone to staffing polling stations with intentionally intimidating poll workers or placing armed bystanders in an effort to intimidate the population. To account for these potential issues, election law dictates that every voter has the right to ballot secrecy. 

The implementation of secret ballots guarantees that no one will face prosecution or discrimination because of their political opinion. Of the several methods used to achieve ballot secrecy, the most effective is data encryption. When people vote on a digital voting platform, secure system architecture and encryption solutions keep all voter data away from malicious third parties. 

 

6. A transparent and easily-auditable political process

Transparency is fundamental to certifying the integrity of election results. Failure to practice a fully transparent electoral process, even if unintentional, can be seen by a losing party as a sign of fraud. On this ground, it might be possible to nullify the entire election, which would mean that a substantial amount of time and money has been wasted. 

During the voting process, election observations by neutral third parties must always be respected. If elections are not observed, the will of the voters can be compromised by someone adding illegal ballots or performing other unlawful practices. Not only should the presence of election monitors be expected during the electoral process, but it should also be motivated and even demanded by the electorate.

 

7. The accurate counting of ballots

Ballots contain very valuable and sensitive information, and must therefore always be handled with utmost care. To have free and fair elections, all ballots must be accurately counted and their results reported accordingly. If ballots are altered, thrown out, or destroyed, the whole electoral process is jeopardized. 

Online voting solutions drastically facilitate the counting of votes regardless of the size of an election. Because every digital vote exists as data, the artificial intelligence that powers digital voting platforms can automatically take ballot box information and count votes precisely. Thanks to avant-garde reporting tools, election organizers can have access to the full results of an election at the exact moment the polls close. 

What to look for in an online voting system

 

8. The election results are respected by all parties

In a free and fair democracy, the loser of an election accepts the results. Even if this concept might seem logical, the current political landscape has seen disagreements of all types of harshness and validity. For instance, the US Capitol Attack of January 6, 2021, which ended with over a hundred wounded and the passing of a participant, began due to the fearmongering tactics employed by the losing candidate (source).

The task of safeguarding democracy lies in the hands of all of those who believe in it. Unfortunately, we live in an era where the democratic processes of many countries are at risk. Due to this, it is indispensable to protect and exercise our right to vote whenever the opportunity presents itself to us. 

 

What actions can we take to protect the integrity of elections?

 

The most immediate action one can take to protect the integrity of elections is to register to vote and go to the polls. Additionally, encouraging the people in one’s district or locality to participate in elections helps strengthen the practice of democracy. 

Digital voting platforms guarantee widespread access to voting. Online voting is fast, safe, convenient, and available from any mobile device capable of connecting to the Internet. Elections held online respect the anonymity of every voter while still providing election officials with all the information they and auditors need to guarantee the integrity of the democratic process.

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