Last month, we asked members to test our new secure voting app – Simply Voting – with the first of four practice questions. These are mini “dry-runs” leading up to our AGM on February 19, 2020, when we will launch remote online voting for the first time.
The Board is excited to be able to offer members the option to tune in to a livestream of the AGM and vote remotely for our board elections and proposed resolutions. We hope to increase member engagement and give members more flexibility in voting.
Our first practice question was:
While listing or showing a property, have you observed cannabis plants growing on the premises, within the legal four-plant limit?
We had 91 members participate and here’s what they said:
No 73 (80.2%)
Yes 14 (15.4%)
Abstain 2 (2.2%)
Not Sure 2 (2.2%)
We can understand the ‘Not Sure’… cannabis leaves sure can look like a tomato plant! We also asked if it was easy to log in to use the app and 99 per cent of participants said yes. This bodes well for our AGM in February.
Your feedback on the app
As we did with the first voting test, we’ll continue to ask if you have any comments or questions about using the voting app. For those that did, thank you! Great feedback. With your input, we’ll keep adding to our FAQ document on the REALTOR Link® electronic voting page.
Q: What will happen to proxies, how will you deal with this?
A: You can still ask a fellow member to vote on your behalf and be your proxy, but your proxyholder must attend the AGM in person, to allow staff to validate the proxy form. For that reason, you cannot be a proxyholder if you are voting remotely.
Q: How can you vote for someone or something without being a part of the discussion?
A: Great question. This is why we introduced live streaming at our AGM last year – and had terrific uptake, considering it was the first time – and we’ll be doing so again in 2020 and here on in. Through the livestream, you’ll be able to listen to the presentations and the debate; and if you have your own comments, you’ll be able to submit them through the livestream app and we’ll have moderators available to share your comments at the live meeting.
Q: Is the voting member’s ID visible?
A: No. We can tell how many members voted and who voted. But there is no ability to match responses to member identifications.
Now, aren’t you excited to try practice online voting question #2?
The next question is: In the upcoming federal election, will the party platforms and promises regarding housing and the real estate sector influence how you vote?
To vote:
- Click this link and log in using your FVREB username and Password: http://fvreb.simplyvoting.com
- If you have voting privileges, you’ll see a ballot called Vote #1: Upcoming federal election.
- If you don’t have voting privileges, you’ll see a message “You are not registered to vote in any ballots.”
- Click to select your answers, then click to confirm.
That’s it! You’ll see a voting receipt on your home page once you are done. We’ll share the results of this “vote” once the ballot is closed on September 30, 2019.
Thanks for participating! Results and test question #3 will be coming your way shortly thereafter.