Voting

O.C.G.A. tit. 14, ch. 2, art. 7, pt. 2

in effect

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-720 Shareholders’ list for meeting.

14-2-720. Shareholders’ list for meeting. (a) After fixing a record date for a meeting, a corporation shall prepare an alphabetical list of the names of all its shareholders who are entitled to notice of a shareholders' meeting. The list must be arranged by voting group and within each voting group by class or series of shares and show the address of and number of shares held by each shareholder. Nothing contained in this Code section shall require the corporation to include e-mail addresses or other information for delivery of electronic transmissions on such list. (b) The shareholders' list must be available for inspection by any shareholder, his or her agent, or his or her attorney: (1) On a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting upon request; or (2) During ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the corporation. In the event that the corporation makes the list available on an electronic network, the corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to shareholders of the corporation. If the meeting is to be held in person, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the duration of the meeting and may be inspected by any shareholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any shareholder during the duration of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. (c) If the corporation refuses to allow a shareholder, his agent, or his attorney to inspect the shareholders' list at the meeting, the superior court of the county where a corporation's registered office is located, on application of the shareholder, may summarily order the inspection at the corporation's expense and may postpone the meeting for which the list was prepared until the inspection is complete. (d) Refusal or failure to prepare or make available the shareholders' list does not affect the validity of action taken at the meeting. (Code 1981, § 14-2-720, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 2004, p. 508, § 12.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-721 Voting entitlement of shares.

14-2-721. Voting entitlement of shares. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section or unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, each outstanding share (other than shares of preferred stock issued or authorized before July 1, 1989), regardless of class, is entitled to one vote on each matter voted on at a shareholders' meeting. Only shares are entitled to vote. If articles of incorporation have been restated or amended on or after July 1, 1989, such amendment shall not be deemed to have granted voting rights to holders of preferred shares previously without voting rights unless notice was provided to shareholders that such restatement or amendment would cause the holders of preferred shares to have voting rights, and a shareholder vote approved the restatement or amendment. (b) Absent special circumstances, the shares of a corporation are not entitled to vote if owned by the corporation as treasury shares or if they are held, directly or indirectly, by a second corporation, domestic or foreign, of which the first corporation owns, directly or indirectly, shares sufficient to elect a majority of the directors of the second corporation. (c) Subsection (b) of this Code section does not limit the power of a corporation to vote any shares, including its own shares, held by it in a fiduciary capacity. (d) Redeemable shares are not entitled to vote after notice of redemption is mailed to the holders and a sum sufficient to redeem the shares has been deposited with a bank, trust company, or other financial institution under an irrevocable obligation to pay the holders the redemption price on surrender of the shares. (Code 1981, § 14-2-721, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 946, § 24; Ga. L. 1995, p. 482, § 3; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1165, § 6.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-722 Proxies.

14-2-722. Proxies. (a) A shareholder may vote his or her shares in person or by proxy. (b) A shareholder or his or her agent or attorney in fact may appoint a proxy to vote or otherwise act for the shareholder by signing an appointment form or by an electronic transmission. An electronic transmission must contain or be accompanied by information from which it can be determined that the shareholder, the shareholder's agent, or the shareholder's attorney in fact authorized the electronic transmission. (c) An appointment of a proxy is effective when a signed appointment form or electronic transmission of the appointment is received by the inspector of election or the officer or agent of the corporation authorized to tabulate votes. An appointment is valid for 11 months unless a longer period is expressly provided in the appointment. (d) An appointment of a proxy is revocable unless the appointment form or electronic transmission states that it is irrevocable and the appointment is coupled with an interest. Appointments coupled with an interest include the appointment of: (1) A pledgee; (2) A person who purchased or agreed to purchase the shares; (3) A creditor of the corporation who extended it credit under terms requiring the appointment; (4) An employee of the corporation whose employment contract requires the appointment; or (5) A party to a voting agreement created under Code Section 14-2-731. (e) The death or incapacity of the shareholder appointing a proxy does not affect the right of the corporation to accept the proxy's authority unless notice of the death or incapacity is received by the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to tabulate votes before the proxy exercises his or her authority under the appointment. (f) An appointment made irrevocable under subsection (d) of this Code section is revoked when the interest with which it is coupled is extinguished. (g) A transferee for value of shares subject to an irrevocable appointment may revoke the appointment if he or she did not know of its existence when he or she acquired the shares and the existence of the irrevocable appointment was not noted conspicuously on the certificate representing the shares or on the information statement for shares without certificates. (h) Subject to Code Section 14-2-724 and to any express limitation on the proxy's authority stated in the appointment form or electronic transmission, a corporation is entitled to accept the proxy's vote or other action as that of the shareholder making the appointment. (i) Any copy, facsimile transmission, or other reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission created pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section may be substituted or used in lieu of the original writing or electronic transmission for any and all purposes for which the original writing or electronic transmission could be used, provided that such copy, facsimile transmission, or other reproduction shall be a complete reproduction of the entire original writing or electronic transmission. (j) A corporation may adopt bylaws authorizing additional means or procedures for shareholders to exercise rights granted by this Code section. (Code 1981, § 14-2-722, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1231, § 8; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1165, § 7; Ga. L. 1999, p. 405, § 6.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-723 Shares held by nominees.

14-2-723. Shares held by nominees. (a) A corporation may establish a procedure by which the beneficial owner of shares that are registered in the name of a nominee is recognized by the corporation as the shareholder. The extent of this recognition may be determined in the procedure. (b) The procedure may set forth: (1) The types of nominees to which it applies; (2) The rights or privileges that the corporation recognizes in a beneficial owner; (3) The manner in which the procedure is selected by the nominee; (4) The information that must be provided when the procedure is selected; (5) The period for which selection of the procedure is effective; and (6) Other aspects of the rights and duties created. (Code 1981, § 14-2-723, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-724 Corporation’s acceptance of votes.

14-2-724. Corporation’s acceptance of votes. (a) If the name signed on a vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment corresponds to the name of a shareholder, the corporation if acting in good faith is entitled to accept the vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment and give it effect as the act of the shareholder. (b) If the name signed on a vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment does not correspond to the name of its shareholder, the corporation if acting in good faith is nevertheless entitled to accept the vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment and give it effect as the act of the shareholder if: (1) The shareholder is an entity and the name signed purports to be that of an officer or agent of the entity; (2) The name signed purports to be that of an administrator, executor, guardian, or conservator representing the shareholder and, if the corporation requests, evidence of fiduciary status acceptable to the corporation has been presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment; (3) The name signed purports to be that of a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy of the shareholder and, if the corporation requests, evidence of this status acceptable to the corporation has been presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment; (4) The name signed purports to be that of a pledgee, beneficial owner, or attorney in fact of the shareholder and, if the corporation requests, evidence acceptable to the corporation of the signatory's authority to sign for the shareholder has been presented with respect to the vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment; or (5) Two or more persons are the shareholder 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. (c) The corporation is entitled to reject a vote, 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 shareholder or about the faithfulness or completeness of the reproduction when the original has not been examined. (d) The corporation and its officer or agent who accept or reject a vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment in good faith and in accordance with the standards of this Code section or subsection (b) of Code Section 14-2-722 are not liable in damages to the shareholder for the consequences of the acceptance or rejection. (e) Corporate action based on the acceptance or rejection of a vote, consent, waiver, or proxy appointment under this Code section or subsection (b) of Code Section 14-2-722 is valid unless a court of competent jurisdiction determines otherwise. (Code 1981, § 14-2-724, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 1997, p. 1165, § 8.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-725 Quorum and voting requirements for voting groups.

14-2-725. Quorum and voting requirements for voting groups. (a) Shares entitled to vote as a separate voting group may take action on a matter at a meeting only if a quorum of those shares exists with respect to that matter. Unless the articles of incorporation or this chapter provides otherwise, a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on the matter by the voting group constitutes a quorum of that voting group for action on that matter. (b) Once a share is represented for any purpose at a meeting other than solely to object to holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting, it is deemed present for quorum purposes for the remainder of the meeting and for any adjournment of that meeting unless a new record date is or must be set for that adjourned meeting. (c) If a quorum exists, action on a matter (other than the election of directors) by a voting group is approved if the votes cast within the voting group favoring the action exceed the votes cast opposing the action, unless the articles of incorporation, a bylaw adopted by the shareholders under Code Section 14-2-1021, or this chapter requires a greater number of affirmative votes. (d) The election of directors is governed by Code Section 14-2-728. (Code 1981, § 14-2-725, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 1989, p. 946, § 25.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-726 Action by single and multiple voting groups.

14-2-726. Action by single and multiple voting groups. (a) If the articles of incorporation or this chapter provides for voting by a single voting group on a matter, action on that matter is taken when voted upon by that voting group as provided in Code Section 14-2-725. (b) If the articles of incorporation or this chapter provides for voting by two or more voting groups on a matter, action on that matter is taken only when voted upon by each of those voting groups counted separately as provided in Code Section 14-2-725. Action may be taken by one voting group on a matter even though no action is taken by another voting group entitled to vote on the matter. (Code 1981, § 14-2-726, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-727 Greater or lesser quorum or voting requirements.

14-2-727. Greater or lesser quorum or voting requirements. (a) The articles of incorporation or a bylaw adopted under Code Section 14-2-1021 may provide for a greater or lesser quorum (but not less than one-third of the votes entitled to be cast) or a greater voting requirement for shareholders (or voting groups of shareholders) than is provided for by this chapter. (b) An amendment to the articles of incorporation or bylaws that changes or deletes a greater quorum or voting requirement must meet the same quorum requirement and be adopted by the same vote and voting groups required to take action under the quorum and voting requirements prescribed in the provision being amended. (Code 1981, § 14-2-727, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-728 Voting for directors; cumulative voting.

14-2-728. Voting for directors; cumulative voting. (a) Unless otherwise provided in: (1) The articles of incorporation; or (2) A bylaw that fixes a greater voting requirement for the election of directors and that is adopted by the board of directors of a corporation having shares listed on a national securities exchange or regularly traded in a market maintained by one or more members of a national or affiliated securities association, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote in the election. Action to elect directors may be taken at a meeting only if a quorum is present. (b) Shareholders do not have a right to cumulate their votes for directors unless the articles of incorporation so provide. (c) A statement included in the articles of incorporation that all or a designated voting group of shareholders are entitled to cumulate their votes for directors (or words of similar import) means that the shareholders designated are entitled to multiply the number of votes they are entitled to cast by the number of directors for whom they are entitled to vote and cast the product for a single candidate or distribute the product among two or more candidates. (d) Shares otherwise entitled to vote cumulatively may not be voted cumulatively at a particular meeting unless: (1) The meeting notice or proxy statement accompanying the notice states that cumulative voting will be in effect; or (2) A shareholder who has the right to cumulate his votes gives notice to the corporation not less than 48 hours before the time set for the meeting of his intent to cumulate his votes during the meeting, and if one shareholder gives this notice all other shareholders in the same voting group participating in the election are entitled to cumulate their votes without giving further notice. (Code 1981, § 14-2-728, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1070, § 1; Ga. L. 2008, p. 253, § 2/SB 436.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-729 Adjournment of meeting by majority of voting shares.

14-2-729. Adjournment of meeting by majority of voting shares. The holders of a majority of the voting shares represented at a meeting, whether or not a quorum is present, may adjourn such meeting from time to time. (Code 1981, § 14-2-729, enacted by Ga. L. 1989, p. 946, § 26.)

O.C.G.A. § 14-2-729.1 Inspectors.

14-2-729.1. Inspectors. (a) A corporation having any shares listed on a national securities exchange or regularly traded in a market maintained by one or more members of a national or affiliated securities association shall, and any other corporation may, appoint one or more inspectors to act at a meeting of shareholders and make a written report of the inspectors' determinations. Each inspector shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of the inspector's ability. (b) The inspectors shall: (1) Ascertain the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each; (2) Determine the shares represented at a meeting; (3) Determine the validity of proxies and ballots; (4) Count all votes; and (5) Determine the result. (c) An inspector may be an officer or employee of the corporation. (Code 1981, § 14-2-729.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1997, p. 1165, § 9.)

Source: Official Code of Georgia (Legislative Counsel's copy via Public.Resource.Org) + acts (legis.ga.gov)URL: https://archive.org/download/gov.ga.ocga.2024/T14%20%28V12%29%202017.txtFetched: 10/24/2026