By Mike Wood

Staff writer

 

Thursday, January 23 (9:30 a.m.): An option is being considered to allow Rossmoor homeowners to vote electronically in GRF elections. How such a policy could be implemented was considered by the Policy Committee at its Jan. 13 meeting.

There will be more to come on this topic. Electronic voting for common interest developments like Rossmoor became possible in September when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2159, which would save such entities on mailing costs of paper ballots. The law also requires that traditional paper ballots remain an option, so those won’t be going away anytime soon.

The Policy Committee began to scratch the surface of this topic, with discussion centering on whether voters would be required to “opt in” to electronic voting, or whether they would have to “opt out” of it if they prefer to continue voting with paper ballots. Early discussion seemed to favor the former, which would make paper ballots a default for voters unless they opt in for an electronic ballot.

“I think most of our residents are pretty savvy, but the first couple years, I almost feel like it has to be kept as a paper ballot with opt-in for electronic,” said Leanne Hamaji, Policy Committee chairwoman.

It would take some people a while to get used to electronic voting, she noted.

“To me, it kind of parallels the Rossmoor News,” Hamaji said. “Most people now want paper, even though they know the option that they can type in rossmoornews.com and get it electronically.”

At this early stage, specifics on how electronic voting would function are not yet clear but will come into view as discussion and research continue. The Policy Committee meets again on Monday, Feb. 10 in the Board Room.

One thing already is cut and dried: If someone doesn’t have an email address on file with GRF, they automatically would receive a paper ballot, GRF General Manager Jeff Matheson explained.

“You have to be in an electronic communication format,” Matheson said. “And if you don’t have that, then automatically you get paper.”

Just a small number of residents going electronic would save on mailing costs. It also aligns with other ways GRF has been moving.

In the past several years, the newspaper added a digital component, and residents can electronically purchase tickets for events, excursions and classes, get emailed updates from GRF departments, and reserve golf tee times, each on the MyRossmoor.com portal. But the traditional means for those remain as well.

“I think we’re kind of progressing in that direction. … It just may take a little bit of time,” Matheson said.

Right now, each Mutual is deciding separately on electronic options and weighing opt-in versus opt-out. That might muddy the waters for some residents.

“I think that’s what could be really confusing to residents because they aren’t always clear what is Mutual and what is GRF,” committee member Maxine Topper said.

Also, the committee worked on two “housekeeping” items regarding procedures for Residents’ Forum. One was regarding when someone would speak on another resident’s behalf. To do so, the person speaking would have to submit written authorization from the person whom they would be speaking on behalf of, when Residents’ Forum speaking slips are collected prior to a GRF meeting. Wording was put into a draft to specify that one person could only speak on behalf of one other resident.

Another is that emailed submissions would not be read aloud during Residents’ Forum if received after 2 p.m. the day before a meeting, a similar cut-off that city councils like Walnut Creek have. Emails submitted late would still be on record and go to the Board for review.

A revised draft of these changes will be discussed at the Policy Committee’s February meeting.