Fla. Stat. § 607.0721 — Florida Code / Title XXXVI / Chapter 607 / Part I / Section 607.0721
607.0721 Voting entitlement of shares.
Status: in_force

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2), (3), and (4) or unless the articles of incorporation or this chapter provides otherwise, each outstanding share, regardless of class or series, is entitled to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote at a meeting of shareholders. Only shares are entitled to vote. If the articles of incorporation provide for more or less than one vote for any share on any matter, every reference in this chapter to a majority or other proportion of shares shall refer to such a majority or other proportion of votes entitled to be cast.

(2) Shares of a corporation are not entitled to vote if they are owned by or otherwise belong to the corporation directly, or indirectly through an entity of which a majority of the voting power is held directly or indirectly by the corporation or which is otherwise controlled by the corporation.

(3) Shares held by the corporation in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of any person are entitled to vote unless they are held for the benefit of, or otherwise belong to, the corporation directly, or indirectly through an entity of which a majority of the voting power is held directly or indirectly by the corporation or which is otherwise controlled by the corporation. For the purposes of this section, “voting power” means the current power to vote in the election of directors of a corporation or to elect, select, or appoint those persons who will govern another entity.

(4) Redeemable shares are not entitled to vote on any matter, and shall not be deemed to be outstanding, after delivery of a written notice of redemption is effective and a sum sufficient to redeem such shares has been deposited with a bank, trust company, or other financial institution upon an irrevocable obligation to pay the holders the redemption price upon surrender of the shares.

(5) Shares standing in the name of another corporation, domestic or foreign, may be voted by such officer, agent, or proxy as the bylaws of the corporate shareholder may prescribe or, in the absence of any applicable provision, by such person as the board of directors of the corporate shareholder may designate. In the absence of any such designation or in case of conflicting designation by the corporate shareholder, the chair of the board, the president, any vice president, the secretary, and the treasurer of the corporate shareholder, in that order, shall be presumed to be fully authorized to vote such shares.

(6) Shares held by an administrator, executor, guardian, personal representative, or conservator may be voted by him or her, either in person or by proxy, without a transfer of such shares into his or her name. Shares standing in the name of a trustee may be voted by him or her, either in person or by proxy, but no trustee shall be entitled to vote shares held by him or her without a transfer of such shares into his or her name or the name of his or her nominee.

(7) Shares held by or under the control of a receiver, a trustee in bankruptcy proceedings, or an assignee for the benefit of creditors may be voted by him or her without the transfer thereof into his or her name.

(8) If a share or shares stand of record in the names of two or more persons, whether fiduciaries, members of a partnership, joint tenants, tenants in common, tenants by the entirety, or otherwise, or if two or more persons have the same fiduciary relationship respecting the same shares, unless the secretary of the corporation is given notice to the contrary and is furnished with a copy of the instrument or order appointing them or creating the relationship wherein it is so provided, then acts with respect to voting have the following effect: (a) If only one votes, in person or by proxy, his or her act binds all; (b) If more than one vote, in person or by proxy, the act of the majority so voting binds all; (c) If more than one vote, in person or by proxy, but the vote is evenly split on any particular matter, each faction is entitled to vote the share or shares in question proportionally; (d) If the instrument or order so filed shows that any such tenancy is held in unequal interest, a majority or a vote evenly split for purposes of this subsection shall be a majority or a vote evenly split in interest; (e) The principles of this subsection shall apply, insofar as possible, to execution of proxies, waivers, consents, or objections and for the purpose of ascertaining the presence of a quorum.

(9) Subject to s. 607.0723, nothing herein contained shall prevent trustees or other fiduciaries holding shares registered in the name of a nominee from causing such shares to be voted by such nominee as the trustee or other fiduciary may direct. Such nominee may vote shares as directed by a trustee or other fiduciary without the necessity of transferring the shares to the name of the trustee or other fiduciary.

History: s. 57, ch. 89-154; s. 145, ch. 90-179; s. 14, ch. 97-102; s. 61, ch. 2019-90; s. 17, ch. 2020-32.