COVENANT BALLOT PROCEDURE
January 2022
For those owners who have not received their ballot(s) by Friday, January 28, 2022, those
residing in the area may contact the Cumberland Cove POA office, either in person or by
email, and pick up a replacement ballot. Those property owners living out of the area may
request a replacement ballot be mailed to them.
Also, for those who have already mailed their ballot(s) and there was not a return address
label attached to the envelope, they should contact the office for a replacement ballot.
A list of duplicate ballots given out will be kept by the POA office, listing the owner and the
reason the owner is asking for a duplicate ballot, i.e. had previously mailed a ballot without
putting a return address on the envelope or did not receive a ballot.
Only one valid ballot will be counted per assessed property, so if there are any duplicate
ballots received for that property, the latest postal-stamped duplicate ballot will be deemed
invalid. Also, if no more than 499 ballots are returned, then the changes could not possibly
pass.
All ballots must be mailed to the PO Box. Absolutely no ballots will be deemed valid if
they are dropped off at, or mailed to, the Cumberland Cove POA office.
The counting procedure will be as follows:

1. At least two people, designated by the Board but including only 1 Board member,
   will pick up the ballots on the morning of February 24.
2. Upon bringing them to the Welcome Center, all envelopes will be counted before
   they are opened, counting the multiples as well (number on bottom right of
   envelope). The entire community could watch if they wish, at least as many who can
   squeeze into the space available for viewing. From the minute that the ballots come
   out of the post office and into the Welcome Center, only those who are going to count
   the ballots touch them.
3. Regardless of how many ballots are returned, the ballots will then be separated into
   two stacks: those with return addresses, and those without.
4. Both stacks of ballots will then be counted separately and kept separate. Non-return
   address envelopes will be opened first. (If upon opening an envelope without a return
   address, a ballot is found with identifying marks on it, and the member is in good
   standing, it will be moved to the “with return addresses” stack. For the stack with
   return addresses, the ballot envelopes will be checked off a master owner list, opened
   and counted (if the member is in good standing). The ballots without a return
   address will not be “valid” – they will be reviewed for information purposes only.