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Guides, best practices, and product updates from the vote.direct team.

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Map of US states highlighting electronic voting authorization status for HOA elections

Virginia HOA Voting Laws: The Complete 2026 Guide to the Property Owners' Association Act

Virginia HOA elections are governed by two separate statutes: the Property Owners' Association Act and the Condominium Act. Electronic voting is authorized, but the rules differ by community type. Here's the complete guide with exact Code of Virginia sections.

March 7, 2026Read

Maryland State House in Annapolis, home of the legislature that passed HB 1534

Compliance

8 min read

Maryland HB 1534: New HOA Election Rules Now in Effect

Since October 2025, Maryland HB 1534 requires every HOA and condo election to be run by an independent third party. Your property manager no longer qualifies. What the law requires, who counts as independent, and how to comply.

March 11, 2026Read

Compliance

7 min read

Maryland HOA Electronic Voting Laws: 2026 Guide

Maryland authorizes electronic voting for HOAs under Md. Real Property Code §11B-113.2, and HB 1534 now requires independent administration. Every statute, consent rule, and verification requirement Maryland boards need to follow.

March 11, 2026Read

Compliance

8 min read

Maryland Property Managers: Your Role in HOA Elections Just Changed Under HB 1534

HB 1534 means property managers can no longer serve as the independent party administering HOA elections. But your role isn't eliminated. It's redefined. Here's exactly what you can and cannot do starting October 2025.

March 11, 2026Read

Maryland State House in Annapolis: HB 1534 compliance deadline

Education

8 min read

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

HB 1534 took effect October 2025. If your Maryland HOA or condo hasn't changed its election process yet, every election you hold is at risk of being voided. Five steps, exact timelines, and real costs.

March 11, 2026Read

Maryland State House: HB 1534 election cost comparison

Education

7 min read

What Does It Cost to Run a Maryland Election Under Chapter 512?

Maryland boards have three options for independent election administration: hire an attorney, appoint a volunteer, or use an online voting platform. Here's a real-cost breakdown with scenarios for communities of every size.

March 11, 2026Read

Compliance

9 min read

Maryland Condo Elections Under HB 1534: What's Different from HOA Rules

Maryland condos are governed by a different statute than HOAs (Md. Real Property Code §11 vs §11B), but HB 1534 applies to both. Weighted voting, developer transitions, and the condo-specific rules your board needs to get right.

March 11, 2026Read

Geometric bar charts and ballot box with ascending green accent lines representing HOA budget voting

Education

5 min read

HOA Annual Budget Voting: When Members Must Approve, and When the Board Can Act Alone (2026)

Not every HOA budget requires a member vote, but the ones that do carry strict procedural requirements. Learn which states mandate member approval, the difference between ratification and rejection rights, and how to run a valid budget vote.

March 19, 2026Read

Geometric scales of justice with shield and green accent lines representing HOA board ethics

Education

6 min read

HOA Board Ethics and Conflict of Interest: When a Board Member Must Recuse (2026 Guide)

A single undisclosed conflict of interest can void a board decision, trigger a recall, and create personal liability. Learn the fiduciary duties every HOA board member owes, state disclosure requirements, and the voting rules that protect boards from ethics challenges.

March 19, 2026Read

Geometric vault door with green accent grid lines and glowing keyhole representing voter data protection

Compliance

8 min read

Voter Privacy in Online Elections: What Organizations Must Know About Data Protection in 2026

When you run an election online, you collect sensitive data: voter identities, ballot choices, contact information. Most platforms treat privacy as an afterthought. Here's what data protection actually requires, how ballot secrecy works in digital systems, and what to look for before trusting a platform with your members' votes.

March 19, 2026Read

Two geometric planes intersecting, one physical black and one digital green wireframe, representing hybrid meetings

Education

7 min read

How to Run a Remote or Hybrid HOA Annual Meeting: The Definitive Guide (2026)

Remote and hybrid annual meetings are now legal in most HOA states, but the rules for notice, quorum, voting, and recording differ from in-person meetings. This guide covers the legal requirements, technology setup, and best practices for meetings where some or all members participate virtually.

March 19, 2026Read

Two angular geometric shapes facing each other with a mediating green line between them, representing dispute resolution

Compliance

7 min read

What to Do When an HOA Election Is Disputed: Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation Paths

A contested HOA election can cost $15,000–$200,000 in legal fees and take 6–18 months to resolve. But litigation isn't the only option, and it's rarely the best one. This guide breaks down the three dispute resolution paths, when to use each, and how to prevent disputes in the first place.

March 19, 2026Read

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Explore by Use Case

Voting solutions for every organization

Deep dives into how vote.direct serves different industries and organization types.

HOA & Condo Boards

Compliant board elections with verified identity.

Non-Profits & Associations

Member votes and board elections with audit trails.

Union Elections

DOL-sourced officer-election guidance and platform record tools.

Churches & Religious Orgs

Congregation votes and pastor elections.

Creators & Communities

Verified polls for audience engagement.

PTA & School Voting

Accessible, multilingual voting for school decisions.

Startups & Teams

Transparent team decisions for distributed orgs.

Corporate Shareholder

Proxy votes and board elections with weighted voting.

Professional Associations

Chapter elections and standards adoption votes.

Cooperatives

One-member-one-vote with audit trails.

Property Management

Multi-community elections from one dashboard.

Credit Unions

Board-election tools and Article V support records.

Petitions & Signatures

Verified signature collection for recalls and amendments.

NYC Co-ops

Weighted shareholder voting with official BCL source links.

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Insights on voting & governance

All articles

Virginia HOA Voting Laws: The Complete 2026 Guide to the Property Owners' Association Act

Maryland HB 1534: New HOA Election Rules Now in Effect

Maryland HOA Electronic Voting Laws: 2026 Guide

Maryland Property Managers: Your Role in HOA Elections Just Changed Under HB 1534

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

What Does It Cost to Run a Maryland Election Under Chapter 512?

Maryland Condo Elections Under HB 1534: What's Different from HOA Rules

HOA Annual Budget Voting: When Members Must Approve, and When the Board Can Act Alone (2026)

HOA Board Ethics and Conflict of Interest: When a Board Member Must Recuse (2026 Guide)

Voter Privacy in Online Elections: What Organizations Must Know About Data Protection in 2026

How to Run a Remote or Hybrid HOA Annual Meeting: The Definitive Guide (2026)

What to Do When an HOA Election Is Disputed: Mediation, Arbitration, and Litigation Paths

Voting solutions for every organization

HOA & Condo Boards

Non-Profits & Associations

Union Elections

Churches & Religious Orgs

Creators & Communities

PTA & School Voting

Startups & Teams

Corporate Shareholder

Professional Associations

Cooperatives

Property Management

Credit Unions

Petitions & Signatures

NYC Co-ops

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