Preparing Your Florida Association for Digital Elections in 2026

Electronic Voting for Associations in Florida has moved from a nice idea to a practical standard. Condominiums and homeowners associations across the state are running their elections online to lift turnout, reach quorum, and cut the cost and hassle of paper. If your community plans to make the switch this year, a little preparation makes all the difference. This roadmap walks your board through getting ready for digital elections in 2026.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the requirements for your association with your attorney.

Step 1: Know Which Law Applies to You

Start with the statute that governs your community. Condominiums follow Section 718.128 of the Florida Statutes, and homeowners associations follow Section 720.317. The two are close cousins, but there is a key difference. The email ballot fallback the Legislature added for condominiums in 2025 does not apply to HOAs, so homeowners associations that want to vote electronically generally need a compliant online voting system rather than email. Knowing your statute keeps the rest of your preparation on track.

Step 2: Adopt the Board Resolution the Right Way

Digital elections begin with a properly adopted resolution. Both statutes require the board to authorize online voting by resolution that tells owners how to consent to online voting and how to opt out later. One recent change is worth noting. House Bill 913 removed the old requirement that condominium boards give 14 days’ advance notice of the meeting where the resolution is considered, so condominiums can now adopt online voting without that waiting period. Homeowners associations under Section 720.317 still must provide that 14 days’ notice of the meeting and file an affidavit of compliance, so confirm which rule applies to you. Get this paperwork right and you remove the most common ground for a challenge.

Step 3: Collect Owner Consent Early

Online voting is opt in, so an owner must consent, electronically or in writing, before their online vote can count. Consent stays valid until the owner opts out, which means the sooner you start gathering it, the stronger your first digital election will be. Make consent easy to give, explain the benefits in plain language, and remember that owners who do not consent keep their right to vote by traditional means. Building consent is often the difference between a strong first election and a disappointing one.

Step 4: Choose a System That Meets the Safeguards

Florida law does not just permit online voting. It defines what a compliant system must do. Whether you fall under Section 718.128 or Section 720.317, your platform must authenticate each owner’s identity, confirm ahead of the deadline that their device can reach the system, verify that votes are not altered in transit, send each voter a receipt, keep votes available for recount and inspection, and, for elections, permanently separate the ballot from the voter’s identity so secrecy is preserved. These are difficult to satisfy with a survey tool or email. A platform built for Florida associations handles them by design. If proxies are part of your process, look for one that supports electronic proxy voting as well.

Step 5: Educate Owners and Run a Pilot

Technology only helps if owners use it. Before your annual meeting, tell owners what is changing, walk them through how to vote, and reassure them that their ballot stays secret. Consider a low stakes vote first, such as a simple survey or a routine matter, so owners get comfortable and your board learns the workflow before a contested election. Automatic reminders will do much of the heavy lifting on turnout once people are enrolled.

Step 6: Calendar Everything

Digital elections reward planning. Work backward from your meeting date and build in time for the resolution (plus the 14 days’ notice of the resolution meeting if you are an HOA), the consent drive, the device confirmation the statute requires at least 14 days before the voting deadline, and owner education. Associations that start early glide into their election. Those that wait until the last minute miss deadlines and fall back to paper.

A Simpler Path to 2026 Florida Digital Elections

None of this has to be complicated. A purpose built platform handles the safeguards, the reminders, the secrecy, and the recordkeeping, leaving your board to focus on the community. For associations that would rather delegate the whole process, our voting services manage setup, consent, and tabulation from start to finish.

Voting Portals helps Florida condominiums and homeowners associations run secure, compliant digital elections under Sections 718.128 and 720.317. To prepare for your 2026 election, book a demo, review our pricing, or contact our team.