Election Frequently Asked Questions - Voting by Proxy

Voting by proxy is a way to designate someone else to cast your vote in an election. OTW is required to allow proxy-voting by Delaware law, which specifies: “A stockholder may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder as proxy by transmitting or authorizing the transmission of [an] electronic transmission to the person who will be the holder of the proxy.” In corporate elections, a proxy is usually used when a voting member/shareholder can’t attend a meeting in person. Extended, electronic ballots such as those used by the OTW should make proxy voting unnecessary in most cases.

With extended, electronic voting, many of the usual reasons for voting by proxy do not apply. However, the 48-hour voting period may fall during a time when a voting member may not have internet access, or may have other commitments.

Proxies are assigned by e-mail. Your e-mailed proxy request must:

• Originate from the e-mail account you’ve used previously with OTW.
• Be addressed to both elections-chair@transformativeworks.org and your proxy.
• Include your legal name.
• Include a declaration that you wish to assign your proxy to the e-mailed recipient.
• Your proxy must reply to this e-mail, acknowledging receipt, and include their legal name in the reply. This reply must be received by elections-chair@transformativeworks.org at least two weeks before the election.

In general, a proxy can have any conditions a person wants, but only as a contract between the member and her proxy. OTW is not responsible for enforcing any conditions.

No. Elections can verify that we have successfully reassigned your vote, but we cannot verify whether or not your proxy used the vote, or show which candidates she voted for.

You may assign a proxy at any point up to two weeks before a given election; the official deadline for proxy assignment will be included on the election timeline. Your proxy assignment will last for six months. Until those six months are up, we cannot revoke or change your proxy assignment.

Voting usernames and passwords for an upcoming election will be e-mailed about one week prior to the election. If you have been assigned a proxy vote, you will be e-mailed that username in addition to your own username (if applicable), and you may vote each login, one at a time.

No. Proxy votes may not be reassigned.