Pat Ingalls
Online voting is making its PebbleCreek debut this fall to an enthusiastic ovation from tech-savvy homeowners. While paper ballots remain for those so inclined, the ease, speed and security of casting ballots electronically is already winning converts for this PebbleCreek Homeowners Association 2017 election period, which opens Saturday, October 7 and closes Tuesday, November 7 at 5:00 p.m.
Candidates are vying for a two-year, resident-volunteer vacancy on the PCHOA Board of Directors, which begins January 1, 2018.
The rules apply whether using the new online ballot or a paper ballot:
One vote per lot
PCHOA identification card required at the paper-polling place
Anyone who becomes a homeowner of record after September 22, and who wants to vote, presents himself/herself to the Eagle’s Nest front desk for a paper ballot.
Vote for only one candidate.
More specifically, according to Article VI Sections 4 and 5 of PCHOA’s CC&Rs, an “eligible voter” is defined as “one homeowner of record per unit/lot.” That means only one vote per lot – not separate votes for husband and wife, when lots are owned jointly. And no fractional votes, for example, if husband and wife disagree on who deserves their vote.
Persons or entities owning more than one lot will cast their vote for all lots owned.
Renters or lessees are ineligible to vote.
Any lot for which a second voter presents himself/herself to vote will be denied the opportunity to vote.
Online voting is available 24/7 to registered homeowners, using their computer or other electronic devices – saving time, money and paper. Voting online is quick and easy, using an online voting site, managed by VoteHOANow, a national vendor under contract with PCHOA. On October 7, enrolled homeowners will receive an email from the PebbleCreek voting site, asking them to:
Go online to the voting site by clicking the link provided in the email
Register with the code provided in the email
Select the one candidate for which they are placing their vote and submit their choice.
Once the vote is submitted, the homeowner will receive both a confirmation screen and an email that the vote has been confirmed. The entire, private, secure process takes only a few minutes.
Paper voting also remains available. Homeowners go in person to the Eagle’s Nest front desk during the active election period – which begins Saturday, October 7 and ends at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 7 — anytime within Resident and Guest Services’ business hours. As a cost-saving measure, no paper ballots will be mailed to homeowners.
“Remember that you must sign your ballot envelope and indicate your unit and lot numbers,” said Election Committee Chair Gordon Seaman. “That is state law.”
Who wins? Election Committee members who count the votes will use a plurality to determine the winner, when three or more candidates are running. Plurality describes the circumstance when a candidate polls more votes than any other, but does not receive a majority. That can occur when three or more possible choices exist.
The HOA’s enewsletter, PebbleNews, will announce the official winning candidate in an eblast no later than 24 hours after polls close.
Direct questions for additional information to: Gordon Seaman, chair of the PCHOA Election Committee, at [email protected].