Sec. 209.00592. VOTING; QUORUM. (a) Subject to Subsection (a-1), the voting rights of an owner may be cast or given:
(1) in person or by proxy at a meeting of the property owners' association;
(2) by absentee ballot in accordance with this section;
(3) by electronic ballot in accordance with this section; or
(4) by any method of representative or delegated voting provided by a dedicatory instrument.
(a-1) Except as provided by this subsection, unless a dedicatory instrument provides otherwise, a property owners' association is not required to provide an owner with more than one voting method. An owner must be allowed to vote by absentee ballot or proxy.
(b) An absentee or electronic ballot:
(1) may be counted as an owner present and voting for the purpose of establishing a quorum only for items appearing on the ballot;
(2) may not be counted, even if properly delivered, if the owner attends any meeting to vote in person, so that any vote cast at a meeting by a property owner supersedes any vote submitted by absentee or electronic ballot previously submitted for that proposal; and
(3) may not be counted on the final vote of a proposal if the motion was amended at the meeting to be different from the exact language on the absentee or electronic ballot.
(b-1) For purposes of Subsection (b), a nomination taken from the floor in a board member election is not considered an amendment to the proposal for the election.
(c) A solicitation for votes by absentee ballot must include:
(1) an absentee ballot that contains each proposed action and provides an opportunity to vote for or against each proposed action;
(2) instructions for delivery of the completed absentee ballot, including the delivery location; and
(3) the following language: "By casting your vote via absentee ballot you will forgo the opportunity to consider and vote on any action from the floor on these proposals, if a meeting is held. This means that if there are amendments to these proposals your votes will not be counted on the final vote on these measures. If you desire to retain this ability, please attend any meeting in person. You may submit an absentee ballot and later choose to attend any meeting in person, in which case any in-person vote will prevail."
(d) For the purposes of this section, "electronic ballot" means a ballot:
(1) given by:
(A) e-mail;
(B) facsimile; or
(C) posting on an Internet website;
(2) for which the identity of the property owner submitting the ballot can be confirmed; and
(3) for which the property owner may receive a receipt of the electronic transmission and receipt of the owner's ballot.
(e) If an electronic ballot is posted on an Internet website, a notice of the posting shall be sent to each owner that contains instructions on obtaining access to the posting on the website.
(f) This section supersedes any contrary provision in a dedicatory instrument.
(g) This section does not apply to a property owners' association that is subject to Chapter 552, Government Code, by application of Section 552.0036, Government Code.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1026 (H.B. 2761), Sec. 3, eff. January 1, 2012.
Amended by:
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 248 (S.B. 862), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1183 (S.B. 1168), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 324 (S.B. 1488), Sec. 16.001, eff. September 1, 2017.
Structure Texas Statutes
Title 11 - Restrictive Covenants
Chapter 209 - Texas Residential Property Owners Protection Act
Section 209.003. Applicability of Chapter
Section 209.004. Management Certificates
Section 209.0041. Adoption or Amendment of Certain Dedicatory Instruments
Section 209.0042. Methods of Providing Notices to Owners
Section 209.005. Association Records
Section 209.00505. Architectural Review Authority
Section 209.0051. Open Board Meetings
Section 209.0052. Association Contracts
Section 209.0056. Notice of Election or Association Vote
Section 209.0057. Recount of Votes
Section 209.0059. Right to Vote
Section 209.00591. Board Membership
Section 209.00592. Voting; Quorum
Section 209.00593. Election of Board Members
Section 209.00594. Tabulation of and Access to Ballots
Section 209.006. Notice Required Before Enforcement Action
Section 209.0062. Alternative Payment Schedule for Certain Assessments
Section 209.0063. Priority of Payments
Section 209.0064. Third Party Collections
Section 209.0065. Credit Reporting Services
Section 209.007. Hearing Before Board; Alternative Dispute Resolution
Section 209.008. Attorney's Fees
Section 209.009. Foreclosure Sale Prohibited in Certain Circumstances
Section 209.0092. Judicial Foreclosure Required
Section 209.0093. Removal or Adoption of Foreclosure Authority
Section 209.0094. Assessment Lien Filing
Section 209.010. Notice After Foreclosure Sale
Section 209.011. Right of Redemption After Foreclosure
Section 209.012. Restrictive Covenants Granting Easements to Certain Property Owners' Associations
Section 209.014. Mandatory Election Required After Failure to Call Regular Meeting
Section 209.015. Regulation of Land Use: Residential Purpose
Section 209.016. Regulation of Residential Leases or Rental Agreements