Abstained Votes

Abstained votes happen when members intentionally choose not to vote on a particular issue or candidate listed on the ballot. Unlike members who choose not to participate in an election, abstained votes consciously decide not to select an option. This move is usually for strategic reasons, like wanting to show neutrality towards a particular person or issue.

The challenge is that abstentions may affect your overall results by reducing the total number of votes needed for a quorum. Your association can improve abstained voter engagement by allowing write-in candidates, although not all bylaws permit this.

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