This article discusses block voting for strata committee elections in Victoria, explaining that committee members must be voted on individually at an AGM rather than elected together as a group.
Question: Must committee nominees be voted on individually rather than elected as a group?
At an AGM, do nominees for the committee need to be voted on individually, or can they be elected together as a single group or block?
Answer: The short answer is yes.
Under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (the Act) and related guides for Victorian strata, committee nominees should be voted on individually rather than simply elected en bloc as a “group slate”.
What the law says about committee elections under the Act / OC Regulations
- Section 100 of the Act requires that, for an owners corporation with 10 or more lots, a committee must be elected at each AGM.
- Membership rules: a committee must have between 3 and 7 members (unless members resolve by ordinary resolution to expand to a maximum of 12). Only one person may be elected from each lot.
- Nominations: any lot owner (or their proxy) may nominate before or at the AGM for election as a committee member.
- Voting: Voting rules at general meetings apply. Voting is by lot (or lot-entitlement, depending on the resolution). Each lot gets one vote.
Importantly and relevant to the question, independent commentary on the process describes that “each nominee candidate must have a separate election vote.”
Thus, when there are multiple nominees, the standard practice is that owners must vote for each candidate individually. If there are more candidates than positions, the candidates with the most votes are elected (up to the number of committee spots).
What about “block” or “group slate” voting?
There is no provision in the Act or best practice that authorises a “block vote” (i.e. a single resolution or single vote in favour of a pre-selected group of candidates) to elect multiple committee members at once.
Voting guidelines note that a “slate” approach is not appropriate:
Moreover, the guidance under “Voting and ballot guidelines” indicates that for ordinary resolutions, votes are cast on a show of hands or ballot, with each lot casting its vote(s) for the relevant motion. Therefore, if there is more than one candidate, each candidate’s election must be a distinct motion or resolution.
Legal/Practical Significance & Risks of Block Voting
- If the OC attempted to elect a committee via a slate or block vote, this could be challenged on the basis that the election did not comply with the proper process of individual candidate elections.
- The principle of “one person, one vote per lot” and “one committee member per lot” would be undermined if a block slate allowed overwriting those protections (e.g. favouring one lot by giving them multiple committee seats).
Conclusion
Yes — under the OC Act 2006, committee nominees at an AGM should be voted on individually rather than as a block (group) slate. There is no statutory provision for a “slate-vote” for multiple candidates, and authoritative commentary on committee elections confirms that each candidate must receive a separate vote.
Ben Quirk TOCS E: ben.quirk@tocs.co P: 0448 663 616
This post appears in the March 2026 edition of The VIC Strata Magazine.
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Read next:- VIC: Q&A A comprehensive guide to committee voting in Victoria
- VIC: Q&A Are nominee’s biographies and a how to vote guide a usual inclusion in AGM papers?
- VIC: Owners Corporations Blog- Voting at Meetings- Ordinary Resolutions
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