Returning Officers Guide

This guide explains how Returning Officers can access Meeting Hub, verify voter eligibility, and manage secret votes and secret ballots in meetings.

Important Information

• Meeting Hub displays meetings for all buildings. Use the Filter box to locate the correct building and only open that meeting.
• A dedicated Returning Officer Portal is currently being developed. Until then, access is provided through the Strata Manager's Meeting Hub.
• Returning Officers should only use the functions described in this guide. Do not select Commence Meeting, Adjourn Meeting, Update Meeting Status, Manage, Meeting Notice, or Save, as these functions are reserved for the Strata Manager.
• If a Returning Officer requires assistance, they should contact the Strata Manager, and they can verify access permissions and meeting settings.

What Returning Officers Will Receive

• An email from StrataMax containing a Create Account link. Create the password, accept the Terms & Conditions and select Create. The Strata Manager will set this up once a Returning Officer has been appointed. See Creating a StrataMax Portal Account for a detailed guide.
• A Returning Officer Report (Voting Register) and Aged Balance Report will be emailed to when the Strata Manager distributes the Meeting Notice.
• After the meeting has gone live in VoteMax, an updated Returning Officer Report will be emailed twice; once approximately 48 hours before the meeting, and another updated report 2 hours before the meeting. Reports identify only who has voted but never disclose how a person voted. This information is also hidden from the Strata Manager.

Sign Into The StrataMax Portal

1. Open the StrataMax Portal and sign in using the email address and password.
   • The Strata Manager will need to set up access and permissions in StrataMax once a Returning Officer has been appointed, and in addition, a Portal Account needs to be set up by the Returning Officer. See Creating a StrataMax Portal Account for a detailed guide.
2. Select Meeting Hub from the main menu, or if it's not visible, click the More drop-down menu to reveal the Meeting Hub option.
   
   
    
3. Open Meeting Hub.
   • Use Forgot Password if required.

Locate and open the Meeting

1. Enter the building name in the Filter box.
2. Locate the meeting in the Active section. 
3. Select the meeting by click the grey Select button next to the Building CTS number. 

Meeting Overview

After selecting the meeting, the 'Meeting Overview' screen will appear. In this screen, Returning Officers can:

• Review motions and committee election information. To view each motion by clicking the View Motion button (Glasses icon), or the Pre-Meeting Voting Simulation can be used.\
• Review the Yes / No / Abstain columns to see open vote motion results.
• Check the Details panel on the right-hand side displays critical meeting information, including the appointed Returning Officer.
• Review the VoteMax settings at the bottom which give details about the meeting and opening and closing times for electronic Voting. 

Marking Eligibility for Secret Votes

This section provides steps to check the Attendance Register in Meeting Hub and change the attendee's/voter's eligibility to vote on Secret Votes/Ballots.

1. In the 'Meeting Overview' screen, click the Attendance Register button.
2. Ensure Manage Votes is enabled/ticked. 
3. Locate the lot using the filter or page navigation.
   
    
4. Under the Votes column, click the grey Votes button to display who submitted a vote and the date and time when it was declared. Secret voting selections and changes remain confidential.
   • The blue + button is for Strata Managers to add any votes manually and should not be used by Returning Officers.
5. Under the Eligible for Secret Votes column remove the tick from the box if the voter is ineligible to vote.
6. Select the appropriate exclusion Reason and proceed.
   • Rejected secret votes are not counted and are recorded in the meeting minutes.
     
     
      
7. To update multiple voters simultaneously use the Set Secret Vote Eligibility drop-down menu.
    
    
8. The Financial in BCMax column in Meeting Hub displays a Yes or No and can be clicked to download the ledger card.

At the Meeting

This section provides guidance on what Returning Officers will do in Meeting Hub at the meeting.

1. The Strata Manager will run the meeting up to the secret vote or ballot, then at the secret vote motion, select the Show Votes button.
2. Lock Secret Votes when prompted. Once locked, votes cannot be changed or withdrawn.
    
   
    
3. Review VoteMax votes and add any paper votes using the Vote Tally In Meeting controls.
4. Confirm the voter count displayed on screen.
5. Select Determine Outcome or Manually Enter Outcome if already counted externally.
    
    
6. Declare the result and allow the Strata Manager to continue the meeting.