How to Tackle Low Owner Participation at AGMs

Annual General Meetings (AGMs) are essential to condo governance, giving owners a voice in key decisions. Yet participation is often low: emails are missed, notices ignored, and many residents ask, “Why should I care?”

For managers, this leads to familiar issues: low quorum, repeated reminders, and meetings that run longer than necessary. At the core is a gap in communication and understanding.

That’s why many communities are turning to tools that make it easier to engage owners and encourage meaningful participation.

Use Elevator Screens to Keep AGM Info Front and Center

One of the biggest barriers to participation isn’t apathy - it’s a lack of clarity. Many owners don’t understand why the meeting matters, what they need to do, or when deadlines are.

Elevator screens help by keeping reminders in high-traffic areas. Used effectively, they can:

• Display meeting dates and locations

• Share proxy submission instructions

• Show quorum progress

• Reinforce the importance of participating

These simple, visible prompts help residents stay informed without adding extra admin work for managers.

Offer E-Voting to Make Participation More Convenient

Even when owners want to participate, the process can be a hassle: printing proxies, showing up in person, or navigating unclear instructions.

Electronic voting solves this by allowing owners to vote securely from any device, at their convenience. It’s especially helpful for:

• Off-site owners

• Busy residents

• Communities with language diversity

Managers benefit too. E-voting cuts down on paperwork, tracks quorum in real time, and simplifies post-meeting tasks.

Combine Both Tools for Better Results

When owners understand what’s happening and have an easy way to get involved, participation improves.

Communities that use both elevator screens and e-voting often see:

• Fewer last-minute questions

• Quorum reached ahead of the meeting

• Shorter, more focused AGMs

• Less manual follow-up and paperwork

Even skeptical boards often become advocates after seeing the difference firsthand.

How AGM reminders and voting prompts can appear on elevator screens.

Build a More Engaged, Informed Community

AGMs are more than just a requirement, They’re a chance to build transparency and trust between boards and residents.

To make that happen, owners need to feel that their time and input matter. Tools like elevator screens and e-voting won’t solve everything, but they do help answer a key question: “Why should I care?”

And once that’s clear, owners are far more likely to engage, not just at AGMs, but throughout the year.

Want to see it in action?

By using Digi-Notice elevator screens to display AGM updates and CondoVoter to run secure online votes, managers can keep residents informed and make participation simple and accessible. Get in touch with our team at info@condovoter.com to find our more.