Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Building Societies Act 1965

Management and administration - Meetings and resolutions

80: Right to demand a poll

You could also call this:

“You can ask for a vote on important matters at building society meetings”

If you’re part of a building society, you have the right to ask for a poll at meetings. A poll is a way to vote on important matters. The society’s rules can’t take away this right from you.

You can ask for a poll on any question discussed at the meeting, except for choosing who will lead the meeting or deciding to end the meeting early. If at least 10 members who can vote at the meeting ask for a poll, the society must allow it.

If you can’t go to the meeting, you can choose someone else (called a proxy) to go for you. This person can ask for a poll on your behalf. It’s the same as if you asked for the poll yourself.

Remember, these rules are there to make sure everyone’s voice can be heard in important decisions about the building society.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM372014.

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79: Proxies, or

"Someone can act and vote for you at building society meetings"

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81: Special resolutions, or

"Special rules for important decisions in a building society"

Part 7 Management and administration
Meetings and resolutions

80Right to demand a poll

  1. Any provision in a society's rules shall be void so far as it would have the effect either—

  2. of excluding the right to demand a poll, at a meeting of the society, on any question other than the election of a chairman of the meeting or the adjournment of the meeting; or
    1. of making ineffective a demand for a poll on any such question which is made by not less than 10 members having the right to vote at the meeting.

      1. The instrument appointing a proxy to vote at a meeting of a society shall be taken also to confer authority to demand or join in demanding a poll; and for the purposes of subsection (1) a demand by a person as proxy of a member shall be the same as a demand by the member.

      Compare
      • Building Societies Act 1962 s 68 (UK)