Owners Corporation Voting Software in Australia: How to Manage Motions, Proxies and Votes

Strata voting can become complicated very quickly.

A meeting might have dozens of owners, several motions, proxies, different voting entitlements and owners joining electronically. One motion might require a simple majority, while another needs a different voting calculation.

Then there is the question of records.

Who was entitled to vote? Which owners were represented by proxies? Were voting entitlements applied correctly? Was a motion amended? How were the final results calculated?

This is why owners corporation voting software can be useful.

The right system does more than replace a show of hands with an online button. It should help strata managers and owners corporations manage the rules behind the vote, keep voter information organised, handle proxies and entitlements, and produce a clear record of the result.

But there is an important starting point.

The software should follow the strata rules. The rules should not be changed to suit the software.

What is owners corporation voting software?

Owners corporation voting software is a digital system designed to help strata schemes manage meetings, motions, elections and other voting processes.

Depending on the jurisdiction and the particular system, it may support:

The terminology varies around Australia.

In NSW, the term owners corporation is generally used for strata schemes. Queensland uses body corporate for community titles schemes, while Victoria uses owners corporation.

The voting rules are not identical either.

That matters when choosing a platform.

Why strata voting is more complicated than it looks

A motion may appear to have a simple question attached to it:

Should the owners corporation approve this proposal?

But before the system can calculate an answer, several other questions may need to be resolved.

A generic polling tool may be able to collect “yes” and “no” responses.

That does not mean it can correctly administer a strata vote.

The first step: identify the jurisdiction

Australian strata and community titles legislation is state and territory based.

This is one of the biggest considerations when selecting owners corporation voting software in Australia.

NSW strata schemes

NSW strata schemes operate under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and associated regulations.

NSW Government guidance states that owners can vote at strata meetings in person or through specified electronic means. It also provides for proxy voting and, where the required resolution has been passed, pre-meeting electronic voting.

There are specific restrictions around pre-meeting electronic voting. For example, it cannot be used to elect members of a strata committee.

NSW also uses different voting approaches depending on the type of resolution.

For a general resolution, each owner generally has one vote per property. A poll can change the way a general resolution is counted so that unit entitlement is used. Special resolutions are also subject to their own unit-entitlement-based requirements.

The system therefore needs to know what kind of vote is being conducted.

Victoria owners corporations

Victoria has its own owners corporation framework.

Consumer Affairs Victoria explains that voting can be based on lots or lot entitlements depending on the resolution and voting method.

For example, an ordinary resolution generally uses one vote per lot, while special and unanimous resolutions involve lot entitlements in the circumstances specified by the legislation.

Victoria also has specific rules around proxies and ballot procedures.

Again, the point is not that one jurisdiction’s system is better than another.

The point is that the voting software needs to be configured for the rules that actually apply.

Queensland bodies corporate

Queensland uses the body corporate framework established under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 and the relevant regulation module.

For an ordinary resolution, each lot generally has one vote, although a poll can be requested and changes how votes are counted by taking contribution schedule lot entitlements into account.

Special resolutions have additional requirements involving the number of votes in favour, votes against and contribution schedule lot entitlements.

A platform that simply counts the number of people selecting “yes” may therefore produce the wrong result.

Motions need to be configured correctly

One of the most important features of strata voting software is the ability to manage different motions correctly.

A meeting may contain:

Each should be clearly identified before voting starts.

The administrator should know:

This is more than a software configuration exercise.

It is part of running the meeting properly.

Why voting entitlements matter

One of the most common misunderstandings in strata voting is the idea that every person simply gets one vote.

That is not how every strata vote works.

NSW example

NSW Government guidance explains that a general resolution normally uses one vote per property, but a poll uses unit entitlement.

Special resolutions also involve unit entitlement.

Imagine a scheme with several lots where some properties have significantly different unit entitlements.

A system that simply counts owners could produce a different result from one that correctly applies the relevant voting rules.

Victoria example

Consumer Affairs Victoria similarly distinguishes between voting by lots and voting by lot entitlements depending on the type of resolution and ballot.

This is why unit entitlement voting needs to be treated as a core governance requirement rather than an optional software feature.

Proxies can make the process harder

Proxies are another area where manual voting can become difficult.

An owner may be unable to attend a meeting and appoint someone else to represent them.

The voting process then needs to account for:

NSW proxy voting

NSW legislation contains specific rules governing proxy appointments and proxy voting.

For example, a proxy cannot exercise a vote on a matter where the person who appointed the proxy is exercising their own vote on that matter. The legislation also deals with limits and requirements around proxy appointments.

NSW Government guidance also sets out restrictions applying to proxy holders depending on the size of the strata scheme.

Victoria proxy voting

Victoria has its own proxy framework.

Consumer Affairs Victoria explains that an owner can appoint a proxy to attend, speak or vote on their behalf at a meeting or ballot. There are also restrictions on how many lot owners a person can represent by proxy.

The important point is simple:

Proxy management needs to follow the jurisdiction’s rules.

A software system should help the administrator apply those rules rather than merely provide a field labelled “proxy”.

What should good strata voting software handle?

A useful platform should be assessed against the entire voting process.

1. Voter eligibility

The system should allow the administrator to establish who is entitled to vote.

Depending on the jurisdiction, this can involve:

The platform should not make assumptions about eligibility.

Those rules need to be established before the vote.

2. Multiple motions

An AGM may have a long agenda.

The voting system should allow each motion to be clearly separated so voters understand what they are voting on.

This also makes the results easier to reconcile later.

3. Different voting rules

The system should support the relevant calculation for each motion.

For example, one motion may use votes per lot while another requires unit-entitlement calculations.

The administrator should be able to see which rule applies before the ballot opens.

4. Proxy management

The platform should provide a clear record of proxy appointments and the voting authority attached to them.

This is particularly useful when several owners have appointed the same person.

5. Electronic and hybrid meetings

Many strata meetings now involve owners participating remotely.

NSW Government guidance states that electronic means of voting used at a meeting must be specified in the meeting notice, and the secretary or strata managing agent must take reasonable steps to ensure entitled persons can participate and vote.

A good voting platform should therefore work as part of the meeting process rather than operate as a completely separate system.

6. Secure voter access

Voting access should be provided only to people entitled to participate.

Depending on the system, this may involve:

Security should be balanced with accessibility.

If legitimate owners cannot get into the ballot, the system has failed in another way.

7. Accurate counting

This is arguably the most important feature.

The system should apply the correct counting method to the motion being voted on.

For example, a system may need to calculate:

The provider should be able to explain the calculation in plain English.

8. Audit trails

A useful system should retain appropriate information about how the voting process was conducted.

Depending on the platform and ballot, this may include:

An audit trail should not compromise a secret ballot.

The system needs to distinguish between proving that a person was entitled to participate and revealing how that person voted.

Electronic voting is not automatically compliant

This deserves emphasis.

A strata meeting can use sophisticated online voting software and still have a procedural problem if the voting method was not authorised or properly communicated.

NSW provides a useful example.

The NSW Government states that electronic voting methods used for a meeting need to be specified in the meeting notice. Pre-meeting electronic voting requires the relevant approval and cannot be used for a strata committee election.

The meeting process still matters.

Software cannot fix a meeting notice that failed to identify the voting method.

It cannot turn an unauthorised pre-meeting vote into a valid one.

It can only administer the process that the scheme is entitled to use.

Pre-meeting voting and meeting voting are not always the same

This distinction can be easy to overlook.

In NSW, pre-meeting electronic voting allows eligible owners to vote on certain matters before the meeting, where the required resolution permitting that method has been passed.

The NSW Government explains that a pre-meeting electronic vote cannot be used to elect members of the strata committee.

It also explains that if a motion is changed at the meeting, there are rules around how a pre-meeting vote is treated.

That means the voting platform needs to fit into the meeting workflow.

It should not assume that every vote can simply be opened early and carried forward unchanged.

What happens if a motion changes?

This is another practical issue worth testing.

Imagine an owner corporation puts a motion to a pre-meeting electronic vote.

During the meeting, owners discuss the proposal and an amendment is made.

The original vote may no longer be sufficient to determine the amended question.

NSW Government guidance specifically addresses the effect of amendments to motions that have been subject to pre-meeting voting.

This is why the chair, secretary, strata manager and voting provider should agree in advance on what happens if:

Good voting administration includes a plan for things that do not go perfectly.

Poll voting needs to be supported properly

A poll can change the way a motion is counted.

In NSW, a voter can call for a poll on a general resolution, with the poll using unit entitlement rather than the normal one-vote-per-property approach.

Queensland provides another example: a poll on an ordinary-resolution motion takes contribution schedule lot entitlements into account.

These rules show why a generic meeting polling tool can be unsuitable for strata.

The system should be able to identify when a poll applies and calculate the result using the correct entitlement information.

Quorum is related to voting, but it is not the same thing

Quorum and the final voting threshold are often confused.

A quorum concerns whether enough eligible people are present or represented for the meeting to transact business.

The voting threshold determines whether a particular motion passes.

A software platform should therefore treat them as separate concepts.

For example, an administrator may need to know:

Combining all of these into a single “percentage voted” figure can create confusion.

Common mistakes when using strata voting software

Choosing a generic polling tool
A standard online poll might be fine for asking a group of people a simple question. It is not necessarily suitable for statutory strata voting.

Assuming one vote equals one owner
Voting can depend on lots, unit entitlements, contribution schedule lot entitlements, resolution type and jurisdiction.

Entering proxy votes manually
Manual proxy administration creates opportunities for duplicate or incorrectly attributed votes.

Setting up motions at the last minute
If the voting method or resolution type is wrong, there may not be enough time to correct it before the meeting.

Forgetting that jurisdictions differ
NSW, Victoria and Queensland do not use identical strata voting rules. A system designed around one jurisdiction may not automatically suit another.

Ignoring the meeting notice
The voting method may need to be specified in the notice. The software does not replace that governance requirement.

Failing to test weighted voting
If unit entitlements affect the result, run test calculations before the live vote. Do not wait until the final motion of an AGM to discover the formula is wrong.

A practical workflow for strata voting

A well-managed vote can follow a relatively simple process.

Before the meeting

During the meeting

After the meeting

How to choose owners corporation voting software

A software demonstration should not begin with flashy features.

Ask practical questions instead.

Can it handle our voting rules?
Ask the provider to demonstrate an actual motion using your scheme’s voting method.

Can it handle proxies?
Ask how proxy appointments are recorded and how proxy voting is reflected in the result.

Can it handle entitlements?
If your votes involve unit entitlement or other weighted calculations, ask the provider to demonstrate the calculation.

Can it manage different resolution types?
You may need different rules for ordinary, special and other resolutions.

Can it support electronic meetings?
If your owners participate remotely, ask how voting integrates with the meeting.

Can it handle amendments?
Find out what happens if a motion changes during the meeting.

What records are produced?
Ask to see a sample results report and audit record.

Who supports the meeting?
Software is only one part of the process. Find out whether a specialist support person is available during the meeting if something goes wrong.

Where Vero Voting can assist

Vero Voting provides dedicated strata voting services for owners corporations, strata managers and bodies corporate.

Its current strata voting platform is designed around the practical requirements of strata meetings, including motions, proxies, quorum requirements and unit-entitlement or weighted voting. It supports online, hybrid and paper ballot workflows and provides audit trails and results reporting.

This is particularly useful when a strata manager is handling a meeting with multiple motions and different voting calculations.

Instead of treating every vote as a generic poll, the platform can be configured around the voting requirements of the particular meeting.

Vero’s broader voting services also cover AGM voting, elections, preferential voting and customised voting workflows.

The important distinction is that the software supports the governance process. The owners corporation, strata manager and meeting chair remain responsible for ensuring that the meeting and motions are conducted according to the applicable legislation and scheme requirements.

A strata voting software checklist

Before choosing a platform, ask whether it can handle:

If several of these are missing, the system may be better suited to ordinary polling than actual strata governance.

Key takeaways

Owners corporation voting software is not simply an online replacement for a show of hands.

The system needs to reflect the voting rules applying to the particular scheme.

The most important considerations are:

For a small scheme with a straightforward meeting, manual voting may be sufficient.

For larger schemes, complex motions, numerous proxies or meetings involving electronic participants, dedicated owners corporation voting software can make the process considerably easier to manage.

If your strata scheme or portfolio needs help managing motions, proxies, voting entitlements or electronic voting, contact Vero Voting to discuss the requirements or request a demonstration.

Sources

The article uses current official Australian government and legislation sources, with particular attention to NSW, Victoria and Queensland because strata voting rules vary between jurisdictions.

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Vero Voting