5 Steps Every Maryland HOA Board Must Take Before Their Next Election

Your Next Election Must Be Different

Maryland House Bill 1534 took effect on October 1, 2025. If your HOA or condominium association hasn't changed its election process yet, every election you hold from now on is at risk of being voided.

This isn't theoretical. Any homeowner who disagrees with election results can petition to have them overturned if the election wasn't administered by a qualifying independent party. That means potential legal costs, board instability, and a do-over election, all because the board didn't adapt.

Here are the 5 steps your board must take before your next annual meeting.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified Maryland attorney for advice specific to your community.

Step 1: Determine Your Compliance Gap

Before fixing anything, understand where you stand.

Answer These Questions

Timeline: Do This Immediately

This audit takes one board meeting. Put it on the agenda for your next session. The more lead time you have before your annual meeting, the smoother the transition.

Step 2: Choose Your Independent Party

HB 1534 defines three categories of qualifying independent parties:

Option A: Third-Party Online Voting Platform (Fastest, Cheapest)

A commercial voting platform satisfies every HB 1534 requirement automatically:

• ✅Independent third party
• ✅Verifiable voter identity
• ✅Anonymity when required
• ✅Audit-friendly results

Cost: Flat rate from $4.99/election. A 200-unit community pays $19.99 (101–200 tier, email + SMS included).

Setup: Self-serve, with a free test ballot to yourself before anything goes out.

At vote.direct, Maryland HOA elections start at $4.99/election with email + SMS verification included. Government ID verification ($3.00/voter add-on) is available for contested elections where legal defensibility matters most.

Option B: Independent Homeowner

A lot or unit owner who:

• Is NOT a current board member
• Is NOT a candidate in the election
• Has NOT campaigned for any candidate

Cost: Free (volunteer).

Risk: Volunteer may lack election administration experience. No technology safeguards. No audit trail beyond what the volunteer creates manually. If the election is challenged, the volunteer's credibility becomes the primary defense.

Option C: Professional Independent Administrator

An attorney, CPA, or other independent professional.

Cost: $500–$8,000+ depending on the professional.

Best for: Communities with active litigation or extreme distrust where a professional credential provides additional credibility.

Recommendation

For 95% of Maryland communities, Option A (online voting platform) is the right choice. It's the cheapest, fastest, and provides the strongest audit trail. Reserve Option C for communities with active lawsuits or court-ordered elections.

Step 3: Review and Update Governing Documents

Your bylaws may need updating if they contain language that conflicts with HB 1534.

Red Flag Language to Look For

• ❌ "The Board shall administer all elections"
• ❌ "The property manager shall serve as election inspector"
• ❌ "Voting shall be conducted by paper ballot only"
• ❌ "The secretary shall count and certify all ballots"

What to Change

Replace conflicting language with:

> "Elections for the governing body shall be administered by an independent party as defined by Maryland law, which may include a third-party online voting platform that provides verifiable voter identity, secret ballot capability, and an auditable record of results."

Timeline: Start This Process Early

Bylaw amendments typically require:

• 1Board resolution to propose the amendment (1 meeting)

• 2Notice to membership (21–30 days before the vote)

• 3Membership vote (usually 2/3 supermajority)

• 4Recording the amended documents

Total timeline: 2–3 months minimum. If your annual meeting is in Q2 or Q3, start the bylaw amendment process now.

> Important: If your bylaws are silent on election administration (they don't assign it to anyone specific), you may not need an amendment. The board can simply adopt HB 1534 compliance by resolution. Consult your association attorney.

Step 4: Communicate the Change to Homeowners

Don't let your first communication about HB 1534 be the election notice itself. Homeowners need context.

What to Send

A brief letter or email explaining:

• 1What changed: Maryland passed HB 1534, requiring independent election administration

• 2Why it matters: This protects the integrity of your community's elections

• 3What's different: Elections will now be conducted through [platform name], a third-party voting platform

• 4What homeowners need to do: Ensure their email address is current with the association

• 5What it costs (the community): Be transparent about the minimal cost (flat rate from $4.99/election)

Template Opening

> Dear [Community Name] Homeowners,

>

> As you may know, Maryland House Bill 1534 took effect in October 2025 and requires all HOA and condominium elections to be administered by an independent third party. To comply with this new law, our board has selected [vote.direct] as our independent election platform. Your next board election will be conducted through this platform, which provides secure online voting with verified identity, secret ballots, and a complete audit trail.

>

> The cost to the association is approximately [amount] per election. There is no cost to individual homeowners.

>

> To participate, please ensure your current email address is on file with the management office. You will receive a unique, secure voting link when the election opens.

Timeline: Send 30-60 Days Before the Election

This gives homeowners time to update their contact information and ask questions.

Step 5: Run the Election

Pre-Election (1 Week Before)

During Election

• Automated: Voting links sent to all eligible voters
• Automated: Reminder emails to non-voters (configurable frequency)
• Automated: Real-time quorum tracking
• Hands-off: Board and PM should not access the voting dashboard

At Close

• Results tabulated automatically, no manual counting
• Final browser-ballot tally available at close
• PDF report delivered to designated recipients
• Complete audit trail archived

Post-Election

• 1Announce results at the annual meeting (or distribute via email)

• 2Archive the final results report with association records

• 3Conduct board organization meeting (elect officers)

• 4Update bank signatories and vendor notifications within 30 days

Timeline Summary

What Happens If You Don't Comply?

HB 1534 does not impose criminal penalties. But non-compliance creates serious risks:

• 1Election challenge: Any homeowner can petition a court to void election results conducted without an independent party.

• 2Legal costs: Defending a challenged election typically costs $5,000–$20,000+ in attorney fees.

• 3Board instability: If results are voided, the previous board remains in place until a compliant re-election is held, creating months of governance uncertainty.

• 4Insurance implications: D&O insurance may not cover claims arising from elections conducted in violation of state law.

Compare those costs to $20 for a compliant online election.

FAQ

Q: When does HB 1534 take effect?

October 1, 2025. It is already in effect. Any election held after that date must comply.

Q: Does HB 1534 apply to our community?

If your community is governed by the Maryland Homeowners Association Act (Md. Real Property Code §11B-101 et seq.) or the Maryland Condominium Act (Md. Real Property Code §11-101 et seq.), then yes. This covers virtually all HOAs and condominiums in Maryland.

Q: Our annual meeting is in 2 months. Is that enough time?

Yes, if you act immediately. Choosing an online voting platform can be done in a day. Setting up the election takes 30 minutes. The bottleneck is typically updating email addresses in the voter roster, start collecting those now.

Q: Can we still hold our meeting in person?

Absolutely. HB 1534 doesn't change your meeting format. You can hold an in-person annual meeting with online voting running before and during the meeting. Many communities open online voting 7-14 days before the meeting and close it at the meeting itself.

Q: What if some homeowners don't have email?

They can vote in person at the meeting using a paper ballot. The independent party's platform should support combining paper and electronic results. At vote.direct, boards can manually enter paper ballots alongside digital votes.

The Bottom Line

Compliance with HB 1534 isn't a 6-month project. For most communities, it's a 30-minute setup once the board decides to act. The longest lead items are bylaw amendments (if needed) and homeowner communication, start both now.

The cost of compliance: From $4.99 per election.

The cost of non-compliance: $5,000–$20,000+ in legal fees and a voided election.

Sources:

• 1Maryland House Bill 1534 (2025): Independent election administrator requirement

• 2Maryland Real Property Code §11B-101 et seq.: Maryland Homeowners Association Act

• 3Maryland Real Property Code §11B-111: Meeting and notice requirements

• 4Maryland Real Property Code §11B-113.2: Electronic voting authorization

• 5Maryland Real Property Code §11-101 et seq.: Maryland Condominium Act