Amendments to the Declaration and Bylaws will keep the documents current under the law and reflect the actual operation and administration of the community. Despite these positive purposes, rounding up owner votes can sometimes be slow and tedious. Following are some Dos and Don’ts to encourage owners to vote and to keep the votes rolling in until the amendments pass.
DO Advertise in Advance: Inform owners that the board has worked hard reviewing the Declaration and Bylaws and determined that some changes would benefit the community. Let owners know the board will need owners’ votes to approve the changes and to look for the amendment documents coming soon.
DO Promote: Together with the amendment documents, include a letter to the owners that explains in a positive way how the amendment will benefit the association and why the Board believes the amendment means a change for the better.
DO Communicate: Hold a town hall meeting for owners to ask questions about the amendments. Consider bringing in guest speakers to answer questions including the association attorney, accountant, or insurance agent.
DON’T be discouraged: If voting is slow to roll in, assign board members or committee volunteers to go door to door to solicit votes and answer questions. Let the owners know in advance to expect a knock on the door.
DON’T be afraid to tell your friends and neighbors to vote. Ask owners to tell their friends to vote and to share what they know about the amendments if they have attended a meeting or talked to a board member.
