Sudden Valley committee backs full-mailing contract with optional online voting, rejects 50% mail plan

The Southern Valley Nominations & Elections Committee on a February meeting recommended that the Sudden Valley Board of Directors accept Unilect's Option 1 contract proposal to run the association's annual election, a package that would include full printing, mailing and an optional online voting portal, and rejected Option 2's plan to mail paper ballots to only 50% of members.

The recommendation matters because the election covers roughly 3,300 official ballot packets and the committee said the proposal fits inside the committee's $24,000 budget. Committee members and staff discussed how the hybrid approach (paper ballots mailed to every lot plus an invitation to vote electronically) would work, how to avoid duplicate votes if a voter submits both electronic and mailed ballots, and how to educate members before any change is implemented.

Committee members described two proposals from Unilect. Under Option 1, Unilect would provide what Linda Bradley described as "full service election management" including design…