The AGM is being held virtually this year due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on in-person gatherings. While our bylaws don’t allow proxy or absentee voting, they don’t restrict having a virtual AGM where those in the meeting can participate. We made the decision to have it virtually rather than delay, given the continued unlikeliness of restrictions being lifted by July 15 (latest AGM date per bylaws).
We will be using two main technologies to host the AGM and facilitate voting: Zoom and ElectionBuddy.
For Zoom, we highly recommend you use a computer or smartphone and have the software downloaded prior to the start of the AGM.
If you do not have access to a computer or smart phone, there will be phone call instructions in the email sent to you tomorrow after the 12pm registration deadline. Please note: you will not be able to see the visuals and your vote will be given verbally one-on-one in a private Zoom breakout room.
For ElectionBuddy, you will need access to your email and a web browser. An email from ElectionBuddy will be sent at 5:15pm tomorrow (June 17th) to all eligible voting members. If you are an eligible voter and you do not see an email from ElectionBuddy in your inbox, check your junk folder and note that it may take up to 45 minutes to reach your inbox.
If you experience any technical issues, Ronel Alberts (Head of Technology Committee and Interim Director of Affiliates) will be on standby to help. She can be reached at director-affiliates@scwist.ca or 778-345-6782.
Similar to our usual in-person AGMs, we will have social time from 5:15pm to 6pm and will utilize the Zoom breakout room feature to randomly assign people to rooms. We also suggest you join during this informal period to get acquainted with Zoom, and get to know each other better.
We will also use the breakout rooms to take some group photos at the end of the meeting. Please note that you can opt out of being in photos by disabling your camera.
Given the length of the event, we will have a bathroom/bio break about 90 minutes into the AGM.
We will send an email tomorrow (June 17th) with the Zoom link and password.
If you have not used Zoom before, here are two helpful tutorial videos:
