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<p>We are a 501c3, and not a business association. Our bylaws are about Board Members, one vote per member. Neither a business nor a business owner "owns" a seat on the Board. Board Members are voted in, serve a term. They might be voted in for several terms (term limits not in our bylaws). That's how we handle it. We are a tiny group, small town.</p>
<p>Judy Gerrard - Dayton Community Development Association</p>
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<p id="reply-intro">On 2026-06-09 8:06 am, Rachel O'Rourke wrote:</p>
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<p>Hello Main Street colleagues,</p>
<p>I'm reaching out to get some perspective on how other Main Street organizations handle voting rights during board elections.</p>
<p>We recently encountered a situation where an individual stakeholder owns multiple downtown businesses and/or properties within our district. Historically, our organization has not had a formally adopted policy addressing whether that person receives one vote as a stakeholder or multiple votes based on the number of entities they own. Practices have varied over the years.</p>
<p>For this year's election, we opted to allow one ballot per stakeholder, regardless of how many businesses or properties they own. The rationale was to create a more equitable and consistent process, but it has prompted questions from some members who believe voting rights should be tied to each separate ownership entity.</p>
<p>I'm curious how your organizations approach this issue:</p>
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<p>Do you allow one vote per person?</p>
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<p>One vote per business or property?</p>
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<p>One vote per legal ownership entity (individual, partnership, corporation, LLC, etc.)?</p>
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<p>Is your process outlined in your bylaws, board policies, or another governing document?</p>
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<p>Have you ever had pushback on this issue, and if so, how did you address it?</p>
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<p>We're planning to review our bylaws and governance policies to provide greater clarity moving forward, and I'd greatly appreciate hearing how others have navigated this situation.</p>
<p>Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences and any language or policies you're willing to pass along.</p>
<p>Best,</p>
<p>Rachel O'Rourke<br />Executive Director<br />Downtown Bend Business Association</p>
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