Director Campaign Strategy

Started by KerryL1 • 9 replies • 604 views

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KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Our election is at the end of October and candidate statements are due to the PM on 10/13. We have 7 directors and three seats will be up for election. At least two and perhaps three incumbants will seek reelection.

After serving 12 active & productive years on the board, I didn't seek reelection a year ago because fo the Board's increasing tendency to secrecy and withholding crucial information from our 200+ unit urban high rise Owners. In addition, the Board wanted to move ahead with a very expensive and noisy, dirty, intrusive and, based on actual reports from experts, UNneeded project to be paid for out of reserves.

Once on the outside, I've learned there's a lot of resistance to this project and I've been urged to run for the Board. It IS possible a new board can keep this project from happening as no contract has been signed as of today.

I think this is a probability question or maybe I'm overthinking it. There are two directors who'll continue serving who might vote against this project. We need a total of 4 on "our" side. Is it better to field two or three candidates?? I'm thinking three could spit the vote too much and "their" two would win.

There WILL be cumulative voting.

NpS (Pennsylvania)
Posts: 4,216

Posted:

Cumulative voting is a killer. I would say that your only viable option is the minimum number of candidates you need to gain control.

Sikubali jukumu. Read all posts at your own risk.

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

The way cumulative voting works is let us say there will be 5 candidates running for 3 positions on the BOD. This means each voter gets 3 votes. In cumulative voting the voter can give one candidate all 3 of their votes versus vote for 3 of the 5 candidates. The voter can also split say 2 to one candidate and one to another candidate.

Cumulative voting can give a minority a larger say in the voting process. If a group of voters gets together and agrees to vote for one candidate, that candidate stands a better chance of getting elected. Cumulative voting is how shareholders vote their shares in a Corporate Election and that is one of the few situations it is used. It had been used in public elections to give power to minorities.

We had cumulative voting in our original Covenants but it was one of the things we got the Declarant to remove before turnover.

ND (PA)
Posts: 792

Posted:

Much depends on your confidence that you can get the 2 existing Board Members to vote "no" on the project. If confidence is high then I'd say definitely campaign with only 2 candidates. Further, ensure that neighbors know and understand the cumulative voting, that they put all 3 of their votes toward you and your other candidate with the "extra"/3rd votes being somehow split evenly among you and your other candidate (so you wind up evenly voted, hoping to end up with a higher count than an incumbent). Maybe even direct people on to vote . . . even-floored owners vote one way, odd-floored owners vote another way.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

We're not certain that we can get the two directors who'll stay on the board to be with us. We do feel they can help reach a compromise that will make "the project" far less odious & expensive.

thanks for your thoughts, We intuitively felt that we're better running two than three, but thought maybe there was a math model.

cumulative voting is an option in our bylaws. IF one Owner "declares" he wants to cumulate his votes, that's what we must do. One man, a useless director who's term is up declared for it. I still don't know if he's running. HAHA. It will not help him. When we g finally amend our bylaws, we'll dump it.

We do have a few owners who own more than one unit and I'll work on them. I still can't decide if I'll run. there's another Owner who I think'd be great and I need to talk with him.

Good idea ND, I'd love more about campaign strategy in general.

RichardP13 (California)
Posts: 3,868

Posted:

If you don't run as a slate, I wouldn't bother running at all.

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

Kerry,
I think you have gotten solid advice here again. I have used Cumulative voting successfully in the past and it drove others Bad board members crazy. When I got elected they quickly eliminated it in future elections. Splitting votes is very complicated and hard to orchestrate.

If I were you I would also focus on the absentee owners and send them a letter explaining your concerns and thoughts. I got a ton of support when I reached out to that group. They are not normally part of the local click and I am sure will appreciate someone who is going to fight for them in the future.

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

Exlnt. advice, Mark. The ruling clique is three, 2 of whom are up for reelection. A 3rd tries to be their friend and will be the easiest to pick off. So we must defeat two.

The clique's larger friendship group comprises maybe 8-10 people...all couples. The ruling clique seems to think that only what happens at the monthly open meetings matters. The ruling clique doesn't seem to know we even have 25% absentee voters, who DO vote. Two of the ruling cliques are lawyers, who know nothing about CA HOA law nor even our won gov. docs. Their sthrenghs, if any, seem to be contracts. But even here, some contracts the board approved lately have fallen apart, so I think they screwed up.

A slate would be best with pics of the two candidates on a nice positive etter mailed out to absentee or all voters.

BUT, though my name recognition is high among absentee voters, and largely positive, and high among locals too, I do have detractors among the latter. one will go after me viciously, I know. As noted, I was a busy, active knowledgeable director, who initiated many changes over time. Many had to do with our complicated finances and benefited the vast majority of residential owners. I do really cherish our community.

Anyhoo, given let's say a dozen detractors who'll be vocal and vicious, I worry that as a team I'd taint Tal, who' agreed to run and has an exlnt. background of service and leadership and campaign statement.

MarkM19 (Texas)
Posts: 1,459

Posted:

Kerry,
I live by a saying "If you do not have critics You are probably not successful" I would point out why the Critics don't like you and wear it as a badge of Honor.

LetA (Nevada)
Posts: 2,679

Posted:

Just when you thought you were out, they pull you back in.

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