Method and system for electronic solicitation of votes affecting corporate affairs
A method, system, and program product for the electronic delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation on shareholder issues from an issuer to a plurality of shareholders. The method includes receiving an electronic solicitation message that provides shareholder access to solicitation content; tagging the electronic solicitation message with at least one parameter to ensure the electronic solicitation message is available only to the shareholders of the issuer; and enabling the shareholders to access and view the solicitation content anonymously in order to conceal each shareholder's identity.
1. A method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation on shareholder issues from an issuer or authorized party to a plurality of authorized shareholders comprising the steps of:
receiving an electronic solicitation message that provides shareholder access to a solicitation content;
tagging the electronic solicitation message to ensure the electronic solicitation message is available only to the authorized shareholders of the issuer; and
enabling the authorized shareholders to access and view the solicitation content anonymously in order to conceal each shareholder's identity.
2. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 further comprising recording and aggregating a solicitation content viewing data.
3. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 2 further comprising reporting the aggregated solicitation content viewing data to the issuer or authorized party.
4. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 wherein the solicitation content is embedded within an electronic proxy ballot.
5. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 wherein the electronic solicitation message includes a link to the solicitation content.
6. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 wherein the solicitation content comprises at least one of a video communication, an audio communication, and a text communication from the issuer or authorized party.
7. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 further comprising the steps of transmitting a notification of the electronic solicitation message to the shareholders and validating that each shareholder receiving the notification is authorized to view the solicitation content.
8. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 further comprising the steps of receiving analysis information and voting policy recommendations relating to a proposal on an electronic proxy ballot and providing the received information and policy recommendations to the shareholders electronically.
9. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 1 wherein the authorized party includes at least one of a dissident shareholder, a person or entity authorized by a regulatory agency, and an electronic solicitation system provider.
10. A system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation on shareholder issues from an issuer or authorized party to a plurality of shareholders comprising:
a processor executing a plurality of components including:
a component for receiving an electronic solicitation message that provides shareholder access to a solicitation content; and
a component for tagging the electronic solicitation message to validate that a shareholder is authorized to view the solicitation content;
a user interface that enables each authorized shareholder to access and view the electronic solicitation content anonymously in order to conceal each shareholder's identity; and
a data storage for storing a plurality of electronic solicitation messages and solicitation content.
11. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 10 wherein the data storage stores a plurality of information including ballot data, share position data, ballot proposal analysis, voting policy recommendations, corporate governance topics, and issuer and securities information.
12. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 10 further comprising a component for transmitting a notification of the solicitation message to the shareholders, and a component for validating that each shareholder receiving the notification is authorized to view the solicitation content.
13. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 10 wherein the solicitation content comprises at least one of a video communication, an audio communication, and a text communication from the issuer or authorized party.
14. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 13 wherein the authorized party includes at least one of a dissident shareholder, a person or entity authorized by a regulatory agency, and an electronic solicitation system provider.
15. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 10 further comprising a component for recording, aggregating, and storing a solicitation content viewing data.
16. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 15 further comprising a component for reporting the aggregated solicitation content viewing data to the issuer or authorized party.
17. The system for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 10 wherein the processor comprises a proxy platform.
18. A computer program product for delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation on shareholder issues from an issuer or authorized party to a plurality of authorized shareholders, comprising a computer readable medium having computer readable code embedded therein, the computer readable medium comprising:
program instructions that enable receiving an electronic solicitation message that provides shareholders access to a solicitation content;
program instructions that tag the electronic solicitation message to ensure that the electronic solicitation message is available only to the authorized shareholders of the issuer; and
program instructions that enable the authorized shareholders to access and view the solicitation content anonymously in order to conceal each shareholder's identity.
19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions that record and aggregate a solicitation content viewing data.
20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising program instructions that report the aggregated solicitation content viewing data to the issuer or authorized party.
21. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising program instructions that transmit a notification of the solicitation message to the shareholders, and program instructions that validate that each shareholder receiving the notification is authorized to view the solicitation content.
22. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the authorized party includes at least one of a dissident shareholder, a person or entity authorized by a regulatory agency, and an electronic solicitation system provider.
23. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the computer readable medium is hosted on a proxy platform.
24. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the proxy platform comprises a server computer.
25. A method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation on shareholder issues from an issuer or authorized party to a plurality of authorized shareholders comprising the steps of:
receiving an electronic solicitation message that provides shareholder access to a solicitation content;
tagging the electronic solicitation message to ensure the electronic solicitation message is available only to the authorized shareholders of the issuer;
enabling the authorized shareholders to access and view the solicitation content anonymously in order to conceal each shareholder's identity; and
enabling each authorized shareholder to discuss at least one of shareholder issues and solicitation content with other authorized shareholders anonymously via electronic messaging.
26. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 wherein the discussion of at least one of shareholder issues and solicitation content via electronic messaging is conducted on a proxy platform.
27. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 further comprising the steps of recording and aggregating a solicitation content viewing data.
28. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 27 further comprising reporting the aggregated solicitation content viewing data to the issuer or authorized party.
29. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 wherein the electronic solicitation message includes a link to the solicitation content.
30. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 wherein the solicitation content comprises at least one of a video communication, an audio communication, and a text communication from the issuer or authorized party.
31. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 further comprising the steps of transmitting a notification of the electronic solicitation message to the shareholders and validating that each shareholder receiving the notification is authorized to view the solicitation content.
32. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 wherein the authorized party includes at least one of a dissident shareholder, a person or entity authorized by a regulatory agency, and an electronic solicitation system provider.
33. The method for delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 wherein the tagged electronic solicitation message comprises an indication of a range of shares owned by each shareholder viewing the solicitation content.
34. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 25 further comprising the steps of recording and aggregating the anonymous discussions via electronic messaging between authorized shareholders.
35. A method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation on shareholder issues from an issuer or authorized party to a plurality of authorized shareholders comprising the steps of:
receiving an electronic solicitation message that provides shareholder access to a solicitation content;
tagging the electronic solicitation message to ensure the electronic solicitation message is available only to the authorized shareholders of the issuer;
enabling the authorized shareholders to access and view the solicitation content anonymously in order to conceal each shareholder's identity; and
enabling each authorized shareholder to communicate anonymously with the issuer or authorized party via electronic messaging to discuss at least one of shareholder issues and solicitation content.
36. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 wherein the discussion of at least one of shareholder issues and solicitation content via electronic messaging is conducted on a proxy platform.
37. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 further comprising the steps of recording and aggregating a solicitation content viewing data.
38. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 37 further comprising reporting the aggregated solicitation content viewing data to the issuer or authorized party.
39. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 wherein the electronic solicitation message includes a link to the solicitation content.
40. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 wherein the solicitation content comprises at least one of a video communication, an audio communication, and a text communication from the issuer or authorized party.
41. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 further comprising the steps of transmitting a notification of the electronic solicitation message to the shareholders and validating that each shareholder receiving the notification is authorized to view the solicitation content.
42. The method for delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 wherein the tagged electronic solicitation message comprises an indication of a range of shares owned by each shareholder viewing the solicitation content.
43. The method for the delivery and distribution of an electronic solicitation of claim 35 further comprising the steps of recording and aggregating the anonymous discussions via electronic messaging between authorized shareholders and the issuer or authorized party.