A vote by any other name

Majority voting is taking center stage this proxy season in the US – and the SEC’s controversial shareholder access rule is on the back burner. The new system is rapidly picking up speed, with some companies voluntarily testing it this year and proponents pushing for widespread adoption.Under the existing US proxy system of plurality voting, a candidate backed by the board can be elected with a single affirmative vote, even if a substantial majority of shareholder votes are withheld.