Committee elections: nominees are voted on one by one, not as a block

Committee elections attract improvised procedures, and the group slate is the most common one: a set of names presented together and voted on in a single motion. It is not how a Victorian committee election is meant to work. Nominees are to be voted on individually, and there is no provision in the Act for electing several committee members at once through a single vote in favour of a pre-selected group.

How the count works

When there are more nominees than positions, owners vote for candidates one at a time and the nominees with the most votes are elected, up to the number of positions on the committee. Each candidate needs their own election vote — the process is the point, because it is what lets owners choose between individuals rather than accept or reject a package.

Why the slate approach is a problem

• It denies owners the ability to vote for some nominees and not others, which is the substance of the right to vote.
• It can let a small group entrench itself on the committee without each member being individually preferred.
• Decisions made by a committee elected irregularly are open to challenge later, which is expensive for everyone.

Doing it properly

1. Call for nominations with the AGM notice, and let nominees consent in writing.
2. At the meeting, take a separate vote for each nominee.
3. Record the count for each candidate in the minutes — not just the outcome.
4. Where the numbers are tight, use a ballot so the count is documented.

Where to go next

The AGM explained covers what a meeting must present and how majorities work; the glossary defines committees and resolutions.

Source: VIC: Can an owners corporation elect committee members as a block? by Ben Quirk, Senior Owners Corporation Manager at TOCS, published by LookUpStrata (March 2026 edition of The VIC Strata Magazine). This is a summary written by TOCS, not a reproduction of that article. Regulator guidance: Consumer Affairs Victoria — meetings and committees.