Often, community associations (whether they are mandatory homeowner associations or condominium associations, or voluntary neighborhood associations) will have difficulty in obtaining a quorum for member meetings. A quorum is a number of members who must be present at the meeting in order for the association to conduct business. Typically, the bylaws to the association will provide the quorum number, often expressed as a percentage or a fraction of the total number of members. One method of increasing the likelihood of achieving a quorum is by proxy use. A proxy is a piece of paper signed by a member and given to another person (the proxy holder) so that the proxy holder can attend the meeting in place of the member. The bylaws to the association may contain a provision regarding proxies, such as when and to whom they must be given. If the association has incorporated, Oklahoma law provides that a proxy may be given, and unless the proxy provides otherwise the proxy will be valid for no longer than three years from the date on the proxy.
For a sample form of a proxy that is combined with a written voting ballot Download sample_proxy.pdf .
Submitted by Matthew L. Winton, an Oklahoma community association lawyer.
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