proxy and voting question

2 questions
we have 3 candidates running for 4 available slots in our upcoming annual election.
our proxy/ballot has the names of the 3 candidates and the option to write in 1 candidate.
i understand that signing the proxy will go towards quorum, but i do not want to cast votes for the 3 listed candidates.
i plan to vote for a write in candidate.
can i do that and will it invalidate my proxy?
i can't find anything in SC law indicating whether or not i have the option of writing in additional candidates.
nothing in our controlling documents that addresses this issue.

Agree with the confusion.

There are two types of proxies.

General: Assigns someone to be your representative and to cast a vote on your behalf.
How the vote is cast (for/against) is left to the discretion of the individual assigned as your proxy representative.

Directed: Assigns someone to be your representative and to cast a vote on your behalf.
It further directs the individual to cast the vote a specific way (for or against).

Ellie

You can modify the existing proxy or make one of your own to express your desire. You can also assign your proxy to someone attending the meeting and have them vote the way you want.

We use Proxies for two purposes:

Main purpose is to obtain a Quorum at the Annual Meeting. Without, I doubt we would have a Quorum 20% of 112 required.

Second purpose would be for voting though we have never used it for such. As we allow BOD Nominations from the floor we have never prepared a BOD Ballot. Typically we have to "draft" people to be on the BOD.

Our MC mails out the Proxy along with the Annual Meeting Notice and Agenda. The Proxy names the BOD as the Proxy holder unless another person is named.

Typically the majority that attend do so to complain about an issue they are having have versus being there for the greater good of the association. As the HOA does all landscaping, the majority of the complaints are landscaping issues. Always has been and always will be.

Our HOA is easy very to run. We have an MC who handles the money. We have no amenities thus no discussions about such. Our budget is sound. We are very open about everything. We will Email any financial information asked for. Few owners want to get involved. Some might call it apathy. I call it happy homeowners.

Ben, you raise a good point as I was told of the ability to include the language on annual meeting proxies by a local attorney who specializes in property owner law. We may also have received something from CAI.

I researched Section 209 last evening and this morning and cannot find a specific citation to the use of that language on a proxy. However, it has been in use since around 2015 and has been included on proxy forms for every HOA annual meeting I have seen since then. That does not provide the citation of course, however the widespread use of the proxy for quorum only language suggests there is solid legal ground for doing so.

I will continue to research the matter further.