Digital Voting for Owners Corporations

Owners corporations are under growing pressure to make participation easier for lot owners.

Many committees struggle to achieve quorums. Investors often live interstate or overseas. Busy owners miss meetings. Proxy forms arrive late. Ballot papers get lost in email chains. Yet decisions still need to be made about budgets, maintenance, insurance, by-laws, committee elections and major works.

Digital voting has become an increasingly practical way to improve participation and streamline decision-making. The challenge is understanding where electronic voting fits within the legislative framework that applies to your owners corporation.

The answer depends largely on which Australian state or territory your scheme operates in.

Digital voting is no longer unusual

A decade ago, electronic voting in strata and owners corporation environments was often viewed as a specialist option.

Today it is becoming part of standard governance practice.

Owners expect to access documents online, attend meetings remotely and cast votes without needing to physically attend an AGM. Committees and managers are increasingly looking for ways to improve engagement while maintaining confidence in the integrity of the voting process.

The key point is that digital voting does not replace governance requirements. It simply changes the method by which eligible voters participate.

Good governance still requires proper notice periods, valid motions, accurate voter records, transparent counting procedures and compliant record-keeping.

What does Australian legislation say about electronic voting?

The rules vary between jurisdictions.

In New South Wales, owners corporations may adopt electronic voting, including pre-meeting electronic voting, under the Strata Schemes Management framework. Meeting notices can specify voting by electronic means, and owners corporations may adopt pre-meeting electronic voting through a resolution. Electronic ballot requirements are prescribed within the regulations.

In Victoria, owners corporations can utilise electronic methods for certain voting processes. The Owners Corporations Act allows voting at meetings through a show of hands or another prescribed manner, and participants attending through teleconference or other prescribed means are considered present at the meeting. Victoria also recognises electronic voting mechanisms such as circulating resolutions under the Electronic Transactions framework.

In the Australian Capital Territory, owners corporations may adopt voting by teleconference, videoconference, email or other electronic means, including pre-meeting electronic voting for motions that are not elections. Specific procedural requirements apply.

Queensland also permits electronic voting where authorised by the body corporate in accordance with applicable legislation.

Because requirements differ significantly between jurisdictions, committees should always verify the applicable legislation before introducing electronic voting processes.

Why owners corporations are embracing digital voting

The strongest argument for digital voting is participation.

Many owners corporations have a small group of highly engaged owners carrying most governance responsibilities. The majority may rarely attend meetings despite being affected by every decision.

When voting becomes easier, participation often improves.

Owners can review agenda papers at a convenient time. Interstate investors can vote without appointing proxies. Committee members can make decisions without relying on paper-based processes.

For larger schemes, digital voting can also reduce administrative burden. Instead of manually collecting, validating and counting voting papers, the process can be automated while maintaining a clear audit trail.

That audit trail matters.

When contentious motions arise, being able to demonstrate exactly who was eligible to vote, when votes were cast and how results were calculated can significantly reduce disputes.

Digital voting does not eliminate the need for proxies

One misconception is that electronic voting removes the need for proxy voting.

In practice, proxies remain an important part of owners corporation governance.

Some owners may still prefer to appoint another person to represent them. Others may be unavailable during a voting period or meeting.

A well-managed digital voting process should accommodate both direct voting and valid proxy appointments where legislation permits.

The objective is not to eliminate traditional participation methods. It is to provide additional options while maintaining compliance.

Security and transparency matter more than convenience

Convenience alone should never be the deciding factor when selecting a voting solution.

Committees should ask practical questions:

These questions become particularly important for committee elections, special resolutions and matters involving substantial financial commitments.

A voting process that is convenient but lacks transparency can create more problems than it solves.

Independent vote management can reduce disputes

One of the more interesting developments in the owners corporation sector is the increasing use of independent voting providers.

In highly contested elections or sensitive motions, independent administration can help remove perceptions of bias.

Owners often have greater confidence in the outcome when vote distribution, proxy validation, vote counting and reporting are handled by a neutral third party rather than by individuals directly involved in the matter being voted upon.

This is particularly relevant for:

Transparency builds trust.

Trust makes governance easier.

AGM voting is becoming more flexible

Many owners corporations now operate hybrid meetings where some attendees participate in person while others join remotely.

Digital voting fits naturally within this environment.

Rather than relying solely on a show of hands, eligible owners can cast votes electronically during the meeting or, where permitted, before the meeting.

This can improve accuracy, particularly where unit entitlements, poll votes or complex voting calculations apply.

It can also provide an immediate record of voting outcomes for inclusion in meeting minutes.

Choosing the right approach

There is no single voting model that suits every owners corporation.

A six-lot scheme with highly engaged owners may have very different needs from a 300-lot apartment complex spread across multiple investor locations.

The best approach usually combines:

Technology should support governance, not complicate it.

Final thoughts

Digital voting is not simply about replacing paper ballots with online forms. Done properly, it can help owners corporations improve participation, increase transparency and reduce administrative burden while maintaining compliance with legislative requirements.

For committees considering electronic voting, the focus should remain on governance outcomes first and technology second. If you are planning an AGM, committee election or significant owners corporation vote, Vero Voting can help you understand the available options and implement a voting process that is secure, transparent and appropriate for your scheme.

Sources

Consumer Affairs Victoria – Voting and ballot guidelines for owners corporations: https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/owners-corporations/meetings-and-committees/voting-and-ballot-guidelines

Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Victoria), Section 89: https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/oca2006260/s89.html

Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 (NSW), Clause 14: https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_reg/ssmr2016333/s14.html

Strata Schemes Management Regulation 2016 (NSW), Clause 15: https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_reg/ssmr2016333/s15.html

Unit Titles (Management) Regulation 2011 (ACT), Regulation 10: https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/act/consol_reg/utr2011334/s10.html