Key Benefits
- Secure Electronic Voting
Directors cast votes securely from any device with full identity verification. Support for multiple voting types, simple majority, supermajority, unanimous consent, and weighted voting, ensures every governance requirement is met.
- Complete Resolution Lifecycle Management
Track every resolution from initial proposal through discussion, voting, approval, and execution. The resolution register provides a permanent, searchable record of all board decisions with full context and supporting materials.
- Native E-Signature Integration
Collect electronic signatures on board resolutions, consent forms and governance documents without requiring third-party tools. Each signature is captured in-app and stored against the document with a timestamp and the signer's account.
- Written Consent & Circular Resolutions
Not every decision requires a formal meeting. Preside supports written consent actions and circular resolutions, allowing boards to make time-sensitive decisions between scheduled meetings with full legal validity.
- Complete Decision Audit Trail
Every vote, signature, and resolution status change is recorded with timestamps, IP addresses, and user identities in the audit log, providing the evidence boards need for regulatory compliance and stakeholder accountability.
Electronic Board Voting
Preside's electronic board voting system brings security, transparency, and efficiency to one of the board's most critical functions. Directors can vote during live meetings or asynchronously within defined voting windows, accommodating global boards spanning multiple time zones. The platform supports multiple voting methods: simple majority, supermajority thresholds, unanimous consent, and weighted voting based on share class or governance rules. Each vote is authenticated through multi-factor identity verification, ensuring that only authorized directors participate. Real-time vote tallying displays results as they come in, while anonymous voting options are available for sensitive matters such as executive compensation or board evaluations. Voting results are automatically recorded in the resolution register with the exact vote breakdown (for, against and abstain) along with any recusals due to conflicts of interest. This level of structure and documentation transforms board voting from an informal process into a verifiable, auditable governance action.
Resolution Lifecycle Management
Every board decision begins as a proposal and ends as a binding resolution, and Preside manages every stage in between. The resolution lifecycle starts when a resolution is drafted, either from scratch or from a template library covering common governance actions such as officer appointments, dividend declarations, policy approvals, and contract authorizations. Once drafted, resolutions are attached to specific agenda items and presented during the appropriate meeting. After discussion, the resolution moves to the voting stage, where directors cast their votes electronically. Upon approval, the resolution enters the execution phase, where required signatures are collected and implementation tasks are assigned. Completed resolutions are filed in a permanent decision register that serves as the definitive record of all board actions. The register is fully searchable by date, topic, status, or committee, enabling governance teams to quickly reference past decisions and demonstrate a clear chain of authority for any corporate action.
Native E-Signatures
Preside includes a built-in e-signature capability that eliminates the need for separate signing tools. When a resolution is approved or a governance document requires execution, signatories receive a notification with a direct link to the signing interface. The signing experience is streamlined: signatories review the document and apply their electronic signature, which is stored against the document with a timestamp and the signer's account. Preside has not yet completed formal conformance work for the ESIGN Act, UETA or the EU's eIDAS regulation, and does not issue signature certificates or tamper-evident seals, so boards executing documents where statutory conformance matters should take their own advice. Signature certificates, qualified eIDAS conformance and automated reminders are on our roadmap.
Written Consent & Circular Resolutions
Board governance does not pause between meetings. When urgent or routine decisions cannot wait for the next scheduled session, Preside's written consent and circular resolution features enable boards to act swiftly while maintaining full legal compliance. Administrators draft a circular resolution, attach supporting materials, set a response deadline, and distribute it to directors electronically. Directors review the resolution and indicate their consent, dissent, or abstention directly within the platform. The system tracks response status in real time and automatically determines whether the required threshold has been met based on the organization's bylaws. Once the consent threshold is reached, the resolution is formally adopted and entered into the decision register with the same level of documentation as an in-meeting vote. This capability is particularly valuable for time-sensitive matters such as regulatory filings, contract approvals, and emergency authorizations that require prompt board action.
Decision Register & Audit Trail
The decision register is the authoritative, permanent record of every action the board has taken. Preside's register captures the full context of each resolution: the original proposal text, supporting documents, discussion notes, voting results with individual director positions, signatures, and implementation status. Every entry is timestamped and linked to the specific meeting or written consent process that produced it. The register is fully searchable and filterable, enabling governance teams to instantly retrieve decisions by date range, topic, committee, status, or individual director. For audit and compliance purposes, the register provides an unbroken chain of evidence from proposal to execution. Preside's audit trail extends beyond resolutions to capture every significant platform action, document access, voting activity, signature events, and permission changes, creating a comprehensive governance record that satisfies the most rigorous regulatory examinations and supports the board's fiduciary duty of care.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does electronic board voting work?
Directors receive a voting notification when a resolution is presented. They review the resolution and supporting materials, then cast their vote (for, against or abstain) from any device. Votes are tied to the authenticated director's account, tallied in real time, and recorded in the decision register with a full audit trail including timestamps and the voter's identity.
Are e-signatures legally binding for board resolutions?
Not yet. Preside captures signatures in-app and records them against the document with a timestamp and the signer's account, which many boards find sufficient for internal consents. We have not completed formal conformance work for the ESIGN Act, UETA or eIDAS, and we do not issue signature certificates or tamper-evident seals. If statutory conformance matters for a particular document, take your own advice or use a specialist provider for that signature.
Can directors vote remotely?
Absolutely. Preside supports both synchronous voting during live meetings and asynchronous voting within defined windows, allowing directors to participate from anywhere in the world. Written consent and circular resolution features further enable decision-making between scheduled meetings, ensuring governance continuity regardless of geographic distribution.
How are voting results recorded?
Voting results are automatically captured in the resolution register with a detailed breakdown of votes (for, against, abstain and recused) along with individual director positions (unless anonymous voting is enabled). Each record includes timestamps, authentication details, and links to the supporting materials, creating a durable governance record.