Our Strata Committee has called an EGM to vote on a proposal to appoint a Strata Manager. t is required that all lot owners sign the form, including the lot number. This means there is no confidentiality at all regarding this vote. Some of us are not happy about this as at a normal EGM we are marked off the list, as being financial, and given unmarked voting papers. Can you advise whether this present system of voting is legal or fair? – Davina, NSW

Q: During Covid restrictions, our Strata Committee has called an EGM to vote on a proposal to appoint a Strata Manager. Voting will be via voting papers to be submitted to a ballot box. It is required that all lot owners sign the form, including the lot number. This means there is no confidentiality at all regarding this vote. Our village manager has said the SSMA is silent on the matter and feels we should vote as requested. Some of us are not happy about this as at a normal EGM we are marked off the list, as being financial, and given unmarked voting papers. Can you advise whether this present system of voting is legal or fair?

 

A: To ensure that the vote is valid some identifying information may need to be on the voting paper. There may be other options such as online voting that limit who has access to the identifying information.