A board of directors is a requirement for a homeowners association to function properly. These are elected volunteer officials who are responsible for all operations of the association and ensuring the community governing documents are followed and enforced. Without a capable board, a community’s quality can quickly decline. The bylaws of an association give all the information regarding a board of directors. Election procedures, the number of members, officer positions, and terms will all vary from association to association.

The board is elected from and by the homeowners of the community at the annual meeting. The bylaws will list how the election should be conducted: if it is held by ballot or proxy or both, if a nominations committee is required, and how many homeowners must vote to reach quorum.

The number of board members usually varies from 3-7 and even then some bylaws state a board should consist of no fewer than 3 members and no more than 5. Terms most often range from two to three years with a staggered election cycle, preventing the entire board from changing at the same time and allowing some consistency in decisions and knowledge.