Methods and systems for proxy voting

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention relates to electronic voting methods and systems that help simplify the management of institutional proxies. In one example, the methods and systems manage the process of meeting notifications, voting, tracking, mailing, reporting, record maintenance and/or vote disclosure rules enacted by the SEC. In one specific example, this may be done for thousands of publicly traded securities custodied at various banks, brokers and global custodians. In another example, a system (and corresponding method) may be provided for integrating, organizing and displaying (e.g., via a website) information in a language of preference for each user of the system. The information may comprise meeting, agenda and/or ballot information and the users of the system/method may be voting entities empowered to cast votes via the system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer implemented method for proxy voting, comprising:
 entering a website for proxy voting, wherein the website is entered by a user and wherein the user is a voting entity empowered to cast votes via the website;   storing data indicative of at least a first word in a first language;   storing data indicative of at least the first word in a second language, wherein the second language is different from the first language;   determining whether to display data to the user of the website in the first language or the second language;   incorporating the stored data indicative of the first word in the first language into a graphical user interface element if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the first language;   incorporating the stored data indicative of the first word in the second language into a graphical user interface element if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the second language;   displaying to the user of the website the data indicative of the first word in the first language as incorporated into the graphical user interface element if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the first language; and   displaying to the user of the website the data indicative of the first word in the second language as incorporated into the graphical user interface element if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the second language;   wherein information associated with the graphical user interface element comprises at least one of meeting information, agenda information and ballot information.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface element is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a text label for a text entry box; (b) a text label for a drop-down list box; (c) a text label for a drop-down combo box; (d) a text label associated with a column of a table; (e) a text label associated with a row of a table; (f) a text label for a radio button; (g) a text label for a check box; (h) a caption for a tab element; and (i) a caption for a command button. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein computer instruction logic for displaying the graphical user interface element is constant regardless of whether it had been determined to display the stored data indicative of the first word in the first language or the stored data indicative of the first word in the second language. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing data indicative of a plurality of words in the first language and storing data indicative of a plurality of words in the second language. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising displaying to the user of the website the data indicative of each of the plurality of words in the first language if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the first language. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising displaying to the user of the website the data indicative of each of the plurality of words in the second language if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the second language. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether to display data to the user of the website in the first language or the second language is made by the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether to display data to the user of the website in the first language or the second language is made by the user each time the user logs-on to the website. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determination of whether to display data to the user of the website in the first language or the second language is made by the user once and is then stored. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the determination of whether to display data to the user of the website in the first language or the second language is subsequently changed by the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data indicative of the first word in the first language is stored in a database and the data indicative of the first word in the second language is stored in a database. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the database in which the data indicative of the first word in the first language is stored is the same as the database in which the data indicative of the first word in the second language is stored. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps are carried out in the order recited. 
     
     
         14 . A computer implemented method for proxy voting, comprising:
 entering a website for proxy voting, wherein the website is entered by a user and wherein the user is a voting entity empowered to cast votes via the website;   determining whether to display data to the user of the website in a first language or a second language, wherein the second language is different from the first language;   if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the first language: obtaining data indicative of at least a first word in the first language, incorporating the obtained data indicative of the first word in the first language into a graphical user interface element and displaying to the user the data indicative of the first word in the first language as incorporated into the graphical user interface element; and   if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the second language: obtaining data indicative of at least the first word in the second language, incorporating the obtained data indicative of the first word in the second language into a graphical user interface element and displaying to the user the data indicative of the first word in the second language as incorporated into the graphical user interface element;   wherein the information associated with the graphical user interface element comprises at least one of meeting information, agenda information and ballot information.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the obtaining of the data indicative of the first word in the first language comprises retrieving the data from storage. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the obtaining of the data indicative of the first word in the second language comprises retrieving the data from storage. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the graphical user interface element is selected from the group consisting of: (a) a text label for a text entry box; (b) a text label for a drop-down list box; (c) a text label for a drop-down combo box; (d) a text label associated with a column of a table; (e) a text label associated with a row of a table; (f) a text label for a radio button; (g) a text label for a check box; (h) a caption for a tab element; and (i) a caption for a command button. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein computer instruction logic for displaying the graphical user interface element is constant regardless of whether it had been determined to display the data indicative of the first word in the first language or the data indicative of the first word in the second language. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising storing data indicative of a plurality of words in the first language and storing data indicative of a plurality of words in the second language. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising displaying to the user of the website the data indicative of each of the plurality of words in the first language if it had been determined to display data to the user of the website in the first language.