Episode 4: Polls & Decisions — When a Full Meeting Just Isn’t Necessary

Sometimes decisions can’t wait for the next board meeting. And while email voting may seem convenient, it often leads to confusion, lack of transparency, or disorganized documentation. Enter BoardSpace’s Polls and Decisions feature—a simple, structured way to collect input and record decisions between meetings.

What It Is

BoardSpace’s Polls and Decisions feature allows a board to initiate a vote, gather feedback, or seek consensus when it’s not practical to hold a full meeting. It keeps things official, visible, and well-documented—without the chaos of long email threads or missing replies.

How It Works

Create a poll or decision directly in BoardSpace. Here’s what you can do:

• Propose a motion or question

• Set a response deadline

• Notify all directors

• Enable voting with Yes / No / Abstain or custom responses

• Track who has and hasn’t responded

Once all responses are collected or the deadline passes, the decision is recorded and stored with your board’s official records. It’s clear, complete, and tied to the right meeting, committee, or topic.

Screenshot: Creating a poll or decision
[Insert screenshot showing poll setup with motion and deadline.]

Screenshot: Poll results summary view
[Insert screenshot showing response list and decision outcome.]

Stories from the Board Table

1. Meet Clara, the Quick Decider
Clara chairs a small nonprofit. When the office lease came up for renewal, she used BoardSpace’s poll feature to circulate a motion. Within 48 hours, all directors had voted—and the renewal was approved. No need for a special meeting or endless email back-and-forth.

2. Jordan, the Hybrid Helper
Jordan’s housing co-op board uses polls to follow up on discussions that happen at hybrid meetings, where not everyone can attend in real time. It keeps everyone involved and ensures decisions don’t slip through the cracks.

3. Mei, the Bylaw Buff
Mei’s organization reviews policy updates quarterly. She uses BoardSpace to run a quick consensus check before investing time in drafting changes. She loves that she can gather board input without scheduling extra meetings.

Before and After: Making Decisions Between Meetings

Before BoardSpace:

• Motion emailed to the board. Half reply. A few hit “Reply All.” One replies weeks later.

• No clear record of who voted or when.

• Confusion at the next meeting: “Did we actually decide that?”

After BoardSpace:

• Poll is created with a clear motion, deadline, and notifications.

• Directors vote directly in the platform.

• Results are tracked, transparent, and added to your board’s official records.

No more lost emails. No more confusion. Just quick, clean decisions.

Benefits for Users and Organizations

• Faster decisions – no need to wait for the next meeting

• Clear record – every vote is tracked, dated, and stored

• Greater flexibility – keep board business moving, even between meetings

• Improved participation – directors can vote on their own schedule

Creative Uses

• Quick budget approvals or re-allocations

• Confirming meeting dates or event plans

• Consensus checks on proposed policy directions

• Ratifying decisions that require urgent action

Pro Tip: Use polls to test the waters—before scheduling a meeting on a controversial or complex topic.

Connected Features

Polls and Decisions integrate seamlessly with your meetings, actions, and minutes:

• Attach a poll to a past meeting item for continuity

• Link a poll result to a follow-up action item

• Export results or include them in your next board package

BoardSpace gives your board the flexibility to make smart decisions—without getting bogged down by scheduling.

Wrapping Up

Not every decision needs a meeting—but every decision does need to be clear, trackable, and official. With BoardSpace’s Polls and Decisions feature, your board can stay responsive and effective between meetings. No more waiting, guessing, or chasing replies.

Hit play and learn how to transform your board’s workflow today.