Washington Code 24.03A.455 – Acceptance of ballots, consents, waivers, or proxies
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
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(1) If the name signed on a ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment corresponds to the name of a member, then the membership corporation if acting in good faith may accept the ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment and give it effect as the act of the member.
Terms Used In Washington Code 24.03A.455
- Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
- Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
- Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(2) If the name signed on a ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment does not correspond to the name of its member, then the membership corporation if acting in good faith is nevertheless entitled to accept the ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment and give it effect as the act of the member if:
(a) The member is an entity and the name signed purports to be that of an officer or agent of the entity;
(b) The name signed purports to be that of an administrator, executor, guardian, or conservator representing the member and, if the corporation requests, evidence of fiduciary status acceptable to the corporation has been presented with respect to the ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment;
(c) The name signed purports to be that of a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy of the member and, if the corporation requests, evidence of this status acceptable to the corporation has been presented with respect to the ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment;
(d) The name signed purports to be that of a beneficial owner or attorney-in-fact of the member and, if the corporation requests, evidence acceptable to the corporation of the signatory’s authority to sign for the member has been presented with respect to the ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment; and
(e) Two or more persons are the member as cotenants or fiduciaries and the name signed purports to be the name of at least one of the co-owners and the person signing appears to be acting on behalf of all the co-owners.
(3) The membership corporation may reject a ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment if the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes, acting in good faith, has reasonable basis for doubt about the validity of the signature on it or about the signatory’s authority to sign for the member.
(4) The membership corporation and its officer or agent who accepts or rejects a ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment in good faith and in accordance with the standards of this section or RCW 24.03A.430(2) are not liable in damages to the member for the consequences of the acceptance or rejection.
(5) Corporate action based on the acceptance or rejection of a ballot, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment under this section is valid unless the court determines otherwise.
NOTES:
Effective date—2021 c 176: See note following RCW 24.03A.005.