§ 17-10-230 — Member voting rights

Wyoming § 17-10-230

• Jurisdiction: Wyoming
• Title 17: Corporations, Partnerships and Associations
• Ch. 10: COOPERATIVE MARKETING ASSOCIATIONS
• Art. 2: PROCESSING COOPERATIVE

Text

(a) A patron member of a cooperative is only entitled to
one (1) vote on an issue to be voted upon by members holding
patron membership interests, except that a patron member of a
cooperative described in W.S. 17-10-231 may be entitled to more
than one (1) vote as provided in that section. On any matter of
the cooperative, the entire patron members voting power shall be
voted collectively based upon the vote of the majority of patron
members voting on the issue. A nonpatron member has the voting
rights in accordance to his nonpatron membership interests as
granted in the bylaws, subject to the provisions of this
article.
(b) A member or delegate may exercise voting rights on any
matter that is before the members as prescribed in the articles
or bylaws at a members' meeting from the time the member or
delegate arrives at the members' meeting, unless the articles or
bylaws specify an earlier and specific time for closing the
right to vote.
(c) A member's vote at a members' meeting shall be in
person or by mail if a mail vote is authorized by the board or
by alternative method if authorized by the board, and not by
proxy except as provided in subsection (d) of this section.
(d) The following shall apply to members represented by
delegates:
(i) A cooperative may provide in the articles or
bylaws that units or districts of members are entitled to be
represented at members' meetings by delegates chosen by the
members of the unit or district. The delegates may vote on
matters at the members' meeting in the same manner as a member.
The delegates may only exercise the voting rights on a basis and
with the number of votes as prescribed in the articles or
bylaws;
(ii) If the approval of a certain portion of the
members is required for adoption of amendments, a dissolution, a
merger, a consolidation, or a sale of assets, the votes of
delegates shall be counted as votes by the members represented
by the delegate;
(iii) Patron members may be represented by the proxy
of other patron members;
(iv) Nonpatron members may be represented by proxy if
authorized in the bylaws.
(e) The following shall apply to absentee ballots:
(i) A member who is or will be absent from a members'
meeting may vote by mail or by an approved alternative method on
the ballot prescribed in this subsection on any motion,
resolution or amendment that the board submits for vote by mail
or alternative method to the members;
(ii) The ballot shall be in the form prescribed by
the board and contain:
(A) The exact text of the proposed motion,
resolution or amendment to be acted on at the meeting; and
(B) The text of the motion, resolution or
amendment for which the member may indicate an affirmative or
negative vote.
(iii) The member shall express a choice by marking an
appropriate choice on the ballot and mail, deliver or otherwise
submit the ballot to the cooperative in a plain, sealed envelope
inside another envelope bearing the member's name or by an
alternative method approved by the board;
(iv) A properly executed ballot shall be accepted by
the board and counted as the vote of the absent member at the
meeting.