Friendly Societies Act 1992

Postal ballotsU.K.

8(1)The rules of a friendly society or registered branch may provide for the voting—U.K.

(a)in an election of the committee of management or, where applicable, of the secretary, or

(b)on any resolution (whether special or not),

to be conducted in all, or in any particular, circumstances by postal ballot; and F1... “postal ballot” in relation to an election or a resolution of the society or branch, means a postal ballot taking place by virtue of those rules.

[F2(1A)The rules of a friendly society or registered branch may also make provision in relation to the use of electronic communications in the conduct of a postal ballot.]

(2)Where a postal ballot is to take place, the following provisions of this paragraph have effect.

(3)Notice of a postal ballot shall be given not less than 14 nor more than 56 days before the date which the society or branch specifies as the final date for the receipt of completed ballot papers (referred to in this paragraph as “the voting date”).

(4)Subject to the provisions of this Act, notice of a postal ballot shall be given to every member of the society or branch who would be entitled to vote in the election or on the resolution if the voting date for the election or the resolution fell on the date of the notice.

[F3(4A)A friendly society or registered branch is to be regarded as giving notice of a postal ballot for the purposes of this paragraph if it makes the notice available to a member on a website; and the end date for the purposes of section 119AB(4)(b) is the voting date.

(4B)A notice given in accordance with sub-paragraph (4A) is to be treated as given to the member on the day the member is notified in accordance with section 119AB(3).

(4C)If the notice of postal ballot is absent from the website for part of the period referred to in section 119AB(4), and the absence is disregarded for the purposes of section 119AB(5), that absence does not invalidate the postal ballot.

(4D)If a notice of postal ballot includes an electronic address for the society or registered branch, the address is to be regarded as one to which a completed voting paper, or other documents or information relating to the ballot may be sent; but that is subject to such conditions or restrictions as the notice specifies, and any express provision to the contrary made in the rules of the society or branch.]

(5)Notice of a postal ballot—

(a)shall contain such other notices relating to the election or resolution; and

(b)shall be accompanied by such other documents,

as would be required to be given or sent to a member in connection with the election or resolution had it been intended to hold the election or vote on the resolution at a meeting instead of by postal ballot with the exception, however, of any notice relating to voting by proxy at a meeting.