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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84731</law_id><section_number>13.1-848</section_number><catch_line>Corporation&amp;#8217;s acceptance of votes</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-847</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="13.1">Corporations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="10">Virginia Nonstock Corporation Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Members and Meetings</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> If the name signed on a vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment corresponds to the name of a <span class="dictionary">member</span>, the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, if acting in good faith, is entitled to accept the vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment and give it effect as the act of the <span class="dictionary">member</span>. <a id="paragraph-303643" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> If the name signed on a vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment does not correspond to the name of a <span class="dictionary">member</span>, the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, if acting in good faith, is nevertheless entitled to accept the vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment and give it effect as the act of the <span class="dictionary">member</span> if: <a id="paragraph-303644" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The <span class="dictionary">member</span> is an <span class="dictionary">entity</span> and the name signed purports to be that of an officer, partner or agent of the <span class="dictionary">entity</span>; <a id="paragraph-303645" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The name signed purports to be that of an administrator, executor, guardian, or conservator representing the <span class="dictionary">member</span> and, if the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> requests, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> of fiduciary status acceptable to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> has been presented with respect to the vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment; <a id="paragraph-303646" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> The name signed purports to be that of a receiver or trustee in <span class="dictionary">bankruptcy</span> of the <span class="dictionary">member</span> and, if the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> requests, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> acceptable to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> that such receiver or trustee has been authorized to vote the <span class="dictionary">membership interest</span> in an <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> by which such <span class="dictionary">person</span> was appointed has been presented with respect to the vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment; <a id="paragraph-303647" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> The name signed purports to be that of a beneficial owner or <span class="dictionary">attorney-in-<span class="dictionary">fact</span></span> of the <span class="dictionary">member</span> and, if the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> requests, <span class="dictionary">evidence</span> acceptable to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> of the signatory&#x2019;s authority to <span class="dictionary">sign</span> for the <span class="dictionary">member</span> has been presented with respect to the vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment; or <a id="paragraph-303648" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Two or more <span class="dictionary">persons</span> are the <span class="dictionary">member</span> as fiduciaries and the name signed purports to be the name of at least one of the fiduciaries and the <span class="dictionary">person</span> signing appears to be acting on behalf of all the fiduciaries. <a id="paragraph-303649" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions B 2 and 5, in any case in which the will, trust agreement, or other instrument under which a fiduciary purports to act contains directions for the voting of <span class="dictionary">membership interests</span> in any <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>, or for the execution and <span class="dictionary">delivery</span> of proxies for the voting thereof, such directions shall be binding upon the fiduciary and upon the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> if a copy thereof has been furnished to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>. <a id="paragraph-303650" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> The <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> is entitled to reject a vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment if the secretary or other officer or agent authorized to count votes, acting in good faith, has reasonable basis for doubt about the validity of the <span class="dictionary">signature</span> on it or about the signatory&#x2019;s authority to <span class="dictionary">sign</span> for the <span class="dictionary">member</span>. <a id="paragraph-303651" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Neither the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> nor the <span class="dictionary">person</span> authorized to count votes, including an inspector under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Voting procedures and inspectors of elections" href="/13.1-847.1/">13.1-847.1</a>, who accepts or rejects a vote, ballot, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment in good faith and in accordance with the standards of this section or subsection B of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Proxies" href="/13.1-847/">13.1-847</a> is liable in <span class="dictionary">damages</span> to the <span class="dictionary">member</span> for the consequences of the acceptance or rejection. <a id="paragraph-303652" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> Corporate action based on the acceptance or rejection of a vote, consent, <span class="dictionary">waiver</span>, or proxy appointment under this section is valid unless a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of competent <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> determines otherwise. <a id="paragraph-303653" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-848/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1985, c. 522; 2007, c. 925; 2015, c. 611.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
