The Condominium Authority of Ontario (CAO) plays a key role in overseeing how condominiums are governed. One important responsibility is ensuring that elections for condo boards are conducted fairly and transparently. Condo owners who cannot attend their Annual General Meeting (AGM) have the option to vote by proxy, which includes the ability to participate in board elections using a ranked voting system.

In this article, we will break down what ranked voting is, how it works in the context of the CAO’s proxy form, and why it benefits both condo communities and individual owners.

What Is Ranked Voting?

Ranked voting is a system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, rather than selecting just one. Instead of marking a single candidate, voters can indicate their first, second, third, and subsequent choices.

In the CAO’s ranked voting system, if an owner ranks more candidates than there are available board positions, the candidates will be voted in the order set out by the unit owner, up to the number of positions available. This ensures that owners’ preferences are honored even if their top-ranked candidates are no longer running at the time of the vote.

How Ranked Voting Works in Condo Board Elections

1. Proxy Holder Selection: Owners who cannot attend the AGM submit a proxy form with voting instructions. The CAO proxy form allows for a proxy holder in attendance at the meeting to vote in accordance with the owner’s expressed preferences, including the election of board members.

2. Ranking Candidates: On the proxy form, owners are often provided with a list of candidates running for election to the board. Instead of selecting just one candidate, they can rank the candidates in their order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).

3. Vote Counting Process: During the AGM, when it comes time to count the votes, the ranked choices come into play. Only the top-ranked candidates, up to the number of available positions, will receive votes, provided those candidates are still running at the time of the vote. If a candidate has withdrawn or won another position earlier in the meeting, the votes move to the next candidate in line on the proxy.

For example:

• • If there are two available positions, and the proxy form ranks four candidates, only the 1st and 2nd ranked candidates will receive votes, assuming they are still running.
• • If the 1st ranked candidate on the proxy form has dropped out or has already won another position (such as the owner-occupied director role), the vote will shift to the 2nd and 3rd ranked candidates.

Benefits of Ranked Voting in Condo Elections

Ranked voting offers multiple advantages for condo communities, helping to ensure that elections are fair and that owners’ votes are counted accurately, even in dynamic election scenarios.

1. No Wasted Votes if a Candidate Drops Out

One of the key benefits of ranked voting is that it protects owners’ votes from being wasted. If an owner’s top-ranked candidate drops out of the election before the vote, their vote is not lost. Instead, the next highest-ranked candidate on their list will receive their vote. This ensures that the owner’s preferences are still represented, even if the situation changes in advance of the election.

For instance, if a candidate decides to un-nominate themselves or withdraw from the election, ranked voting automatically reallocates the vote to the next available candidate on the owner’s proxy. This creates a more resilient voting system that can adapt to last-minute changes.

2. Ensures Participation in Both General and Owner-Occupied Director Elections

Many condominiums have a specific position on the board called the owner-occupied director, which is reserved for voting by owners who live in their units. If a candidate wins this position, they are often removed from the general election ballot to avoid duplicate representation.

Ranked voting ensures that owners who voted for the owner-occupied director via proxy do not miss out on casting their vote in the general election. If their top-ranked candidate wins the owner-occupied director position, their vote will automatically shift to the next available candidate for the general director election. Without ranked voting, these votes might be wasted, leaving owners underrepresented in the general board election.

Conclusion

Ranked voting in the Condominium Authority of Ontario’s proxy form is a fair and flexible system that helps condo owners ensure their voices are heard, even if they cannot attend the AGM in person. By allowing owners to rank candidates, this system minimizes wasted votes, adapts to unexpected changes, and provides more accurate representation. It’s especially useful in scenarios like the owner-occupied director election, where candidates may need to be removed from subsequent ballots.

When filling out your proxy form, take the opportunity to rank candidates thoughtfully and ensure that your voting power is fully utilized. With ranked voting, condo elections become a more inclusive and effective process that benefits both individual owners and the broader community.