If you're looking for a Massachusetts statute that sets a default quorum percentage or spells out proxy rules for condo elections the way some states do, you won't find one in chapter 183A. What you will find is § 24, added to modernize how meetings happen: the governing body, your board of trustees or managers, can hold regular or special meetings by phone, video, or other interactive electronic means, as long as everyone can communicate simultaneously, and "presence by such electronic means shall satisfy any quorum requirements." The board can also conduct annual or special owner meetings without anyone physically present, and allow voting by mail-in ballot or electronic means, provided a quorum of unit owners is present for the vote. None of that sets what quorum actually is; it just confirms that meeting electronically doesn't defeat whatever quorum requirement your own bylaws already set.
That's the pattern across ch. 183A's governance provisions: the statute regulates the how, not the how-much. Section 11(d) requires your bylaws to spell out the method for adopting and amending administrative rules, and § 12(b) lets your bylaws set up an arbitration procedure for disputes arising from the condominium's administration. The actual numbers, quorum thresholds, notice periods, proxy rules, election procedures, live in your recorded bylaws, not in the statute. If you want to know what it actually takes to win or block a vote in your building, the statute won't tell you; your bylaws will.
How trustee action becomes binding on the whole building
Section 10(n) is worth knowing if you're trying to figure out whether a board decision is actually valid. If your organization of unit owners is set up as a trust or unincorporated association, an instrument signed by a majority of the trustees or managing board named in the master deed, and properly attested, is conclusive proof that it was the free act of the trust or association once it's recorded. A purchaser, mortgagee, lender, or anyone else dealing with the trustees doesn't have to look behind that recorded signature to double-check who's actually on the board; the recorded certificate is treated as conclusive. That cuts both ways for owners: it makes board action hard to unwind on a technicality after the fact, which is exactly why catching a defect, bad notice, no real quorum, an improperly held vote, before the paperwork gets recorded matters far more than trying to challenge it afterward.
The authority
The statutes behind this
Cited by name as authority, for your own reading. Informational only, not legal advice.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 183A, § 24
Authorizes board and owner meetings by electronic means, confirms electronic presence satisfies quorum requirements, and permits mail-in or electronic voting where a quorum of owners participates.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 183A, § 10(n)
Makes a recorded, properly attested instrument signed by a majority of trustees or the managing board conclusive proof of binding action by the organization of unit owners.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 183A, § 11(d)
Requires the bylaws to set the method of adopting and amending the administrative rules that govern meetings, votes, and use of common areas.
Step by step
How to check whether a Massachusetts condo board vote is valid
Steps to verify quorum, notice, and voting procedure before accepting a board or owner vote as binding.
- 01
Pull your bylaws' quorum and notice sections first
Chapter 183A doesn't set a default quorum or notice period; § 11(d) just requires your bylaws to establish the method. Find the actual numbers in your own recorded documents before assuming any statewide default applies.
- 02
Confirm electronic participation was handled properly
If the meeting was held by phone or video, § 24 requires that all participants be able to communicate simultaneously for that presence to count toward quorum. A one-way broadcast or a call some owners couldn't join doesn't satisfy that.
- 03
Check that a real quorum was present for any mail-in or electronic vote
Section 24(c) allows mail-in or electronic ballots, but only provided a quorum of unit owners is present for the vote. A ballot count without a documented quorum is vulnerable.
- 04
Ask who actually signed the binding instrument
Under § 10(n), a recorded instrument signed by a majority of trustees or the managing board is conclusive once recorded. Raise any defect in who signed, or whether the vote behind it was proper, before it gets recorded, not after.
- 05
Use your bylaws' arbitration clause if there's a real dispute
Some Massachusetts condo bylaws set up an arbitration procedure for administrative disputes under § 12(b). Check whether yours does before assuming litigation is your only path to challenge a governance decision.
Straight answers
Common questions
Does Massachusetts set a default quorum for condo meetings?
No. Chapter 183A doesn't set a statewide quorum percentage. Section 11(d) requires your bylaws to establish the method for adopting rules and running meetings, so your actual quorum requirement lives in your recorded bylaws, not the statute.
Can my condo board hold meetings and votes entirely online?
Yes. Section 24 lets the governing body and owners meet by phone, video, or similar electronic means, and confirms that electronic presence satisfies quorum requirements, as long as everyone can communicate simultaneously during the meeting.
Can owners vote by mail-in ballot instead of showing up?
Yes, under § 24(c), the governing body may allow mail-in or electronic voting, but a quorum of unit owners still has to be present, in person or electronically, for the vote to count.
How do I know if a board decision is actually legally binding?
Under § 10(n), once an instrument is signed by a majority of the trustees or managing board named in the master deed, properly attested, and recorded, it's treated as conclusive proof of the organization's binding action. Raise any procedural defect before that recording happens.