Managing elections for a homeowners association (HOA) is no small task. On the contrary, managing the expectations of the whole community while staying compliant with all the relevant laws and regulations can be a daunting task, especially if you’re managing an HOA election in California, with some of the strictest HOA election laws in the country.
This is especially true if we’re talking about the period before 2024, and the Davis-Stirling Act. The old, in-person system was based on paper, and thus wasteful, slow, and prone to error and manipulation. After The Davis-Stirling Act of August, 2024, online voting was allowed which led to a further rise in prominence of businesses like ElectionBuddy, as these companies streamlined the whole voting process, besides, every election had to be supervised by an election inspector from an HOA election company as is mandated by the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, specifically Civil Code 5110. Â
Why are HOA election companies important in California
Most HOA related elections, such as board elections, assessments, and bylaw changes, require a presence of an independent HOA inspector of elections. HOA election companies act as neutral third parties that fulfil inspector duties ensuring the transparency and compliance with the law, which not only enables HOAs to avoid any lawsuits or election challenges, but also increases the overall trust within the community while raising the election participation numbers, as these voting systems are easy to use, and available in dozens of languages using only an internet connection, with a computer, tablet, or a smartphone.
Why choosing the right HOA election companies is imperative
As with any service, not every provider is the same. Most companies will advertise themselves using only superlatives, but with something as delicate as an HOA election, which can result in million dollar lawsuits and election challenges, HOAs cannot afford to choose the wrong election company.
Considering that California has the highest number of HOA in the country, it’s of no surprise that the number of HOA election companies has been on the rise, as well. There are now many choices within the niche, but old favorites like ElectionBuddy, which have a proven track record, with stellar reviews from many satisfied HOA boards and residents, still might be the safer choice.
How to choose the best HOA election company for you needs
The first step, and the most important thing to check and consider, is to choose a company that is compliant with all the latest laws and regulations, as if that is not the case, your whole election might be void, and financial losses might ensue, while there will definitely be a breakdown in trust within the community.
After you have checked the credentials and licensing of the election company. Take your time and ask all pertinent and relevant questions. Be specific with your needs, but also always consider how your HOA is developing and what its future election needs might be.
Do you have an aging population that might find audio and visual aids helpful, or even something as simple as adjustable font size? Maybe your HOA has a certain percentage of other language speakers, so a system with multiple languages to choose from would fit the best. Some HOAs might use price as the determining factor, whether they choose the most expensive or the cheapest system.
There are many things to consider, and many reputable options, so as long as you choose a certified and licensed company that ticks enough boxes, you should be ready for a transparent and quick election process.
Conclusion
California is the state with the most HOAs in the United States. Not only that, but the state has some of the strictest HOA election laws and regulations. This made California one of the most exciting markets for HOA election companies like ElectionBuddy, which have developed online voting systems that are much more convenient to use than the old paper-based one, while also being more affordable, safe, and much quicker.
Independent inspectors of elections are also required by law to oversee most HOA elections, so choosing an inspector from a reliable, licenced company is the best way to ensure that you will avoid any election challenges, as well as potentially expensive lawsuits and fines.
While ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, a good HOA election company will raise election participation numbers and overall trust within the community, so it’s imperative to make the right choice!
