Shareholder meetings and elections | Robinhood

Shareholder meetings and elections

What is proxy voting?

As a shareholder of a company, you have the right to attend and vote in shareholder meetings for that company. Voting by proxy allows you to cast your vote prior to the shareholder meeting without attending the meeting in person. Before each shareholder meeting you’re eligible to attend, you’ll receive an email from noreply@robinhood.com with a link to your ballot to proxy vote and meeting details.

Eligibility is based on the settled shares you own as of the record date set by the issuing company. The record date is typically 30-60 days before the shareholder meeting. If you have a margin balance or participate in Stock Lending, these may reduce your voting rights. Review Shares on loan: Reduced voting rights for details.

Keep in mind
  • Proxy voting emails are sent by noreply@robinhood.com and voting is hosted by Say Technologies. You can vote and view materials directly from your email.
  • We'll never ask you to enter your Robinhood email address and password to access or vote through these emails.

Attending a shareholder meeting

Shareholder meetings can be in person or virtual at the discretion of the issuing company. If you’d like to attend a meeting for a security you own, you can request to attend the meeting through the voting link in your email, and selecting Attend Meeting on your ballot. We’ll provide instructions on how you can attend the meeting and any additional credentials you may need. We recommend that you reach out at least 10 business days prior to the meeting date to allow time for processing. If the meeting is less than 10 days from when you ask for instructions and credentials, we’ll make a best effort to get them to you prior to the meeting.

As a shareholder as of the record date, you have a few options when it comes to voting and attending a shareholder meeting:

  • Vote prior to the meeting by proxy and not attend the shareholder meeting.
  • Vote prior to the meeting by proxy and attend the meeting, virtually or in person, for informational purposes.
  • Attend and vote during the meeting, virtually or in person.The meeting location and format is determined by the issuing company, not Robinhood.

Shares on loan: Reduced voting rights

When you use margin to purchase securities, Robinhood is lending you money. As part of the margin agreement, you're using your purchased shares as collateral for these types of loans and may give up some or all of your voting rights with respect to the shares being held as collateral.

You also may not receive proxy materials for a shareholder meeting for such shares.

You can read more about this in the Robinhood Customer Margin and Short Account Agreement.

FAQ

What is voting by proxy?

Voting by proxy means you can cast your shareholder vote without actually attending the shareholder meeting in person. Your vote is cast by proxy, which counts the same as if you voted directly at the shareholder meeting.

When will I get a proxy voting email?

You should expect your proxy voting instructions 15-60 days prior to a shareholder meeting, depending on the type of meeting.

What’s a control number?

A control number is an identifier that some companies use to authenticate shareholders. Certain virtual meeting hosts require control numbers to access or vote during the meeting. A control number is unique to you and allows you to access the meeting before the meeting starts. If you request to attend a meeting, we’ll provide you with a control number for access if the meeting host requires one.

Can I still attend the meeting after voting by proxy? Can I vote at the shareholder meeting instead?

Yes! After you’ve voted, you can request to attend the meeting by following the link to your ballot through your proxy voting email. You’ll have the option to attend the meeting and keep the vote you have already submitted or vote at the meeting instead. If you choose to vote at the meeting, your previously submitted vote will be invalidated.

How does proxy voting work with crypto?

Ownership of crypto doesn’t constitute ownership of shares of a company, which means there are neither shareholder meetings nor votes for crypto owners.

Am I a beneficial shareholder or a registered shareholder?

All Robinhood customers are beneficial shareholders because the shares they own are held by Robinhood Securities as the “street name” (as the Robinhood Securities’ name, rather than the names of the individual legal owners). This is why we provide you with the proxy materials to participate in a shareholder meeting.

Registered shareholders are owners of shares that are directly registered with the issuing company in the shareholders’ names. This type of ownership isn't something Robinhood currently supports.

I own shares of a stock. Why didn’t I receive a proxy email?

You may not receive an email to vote by proxy even if you own the shares for the following reasons.

  1. Margin: Robinhood Securities is lending you money when you use margin to buy stocks. As a result, you may give up some or all of your voting rights because the shares may be used as collateral. You may not even receive proxy materials for a shareholder meeting relating to shares you bought with margin.

You can read more about this in the Robinhood Customer Margin and Short Account Agreement.

  1. Settlement: You must hold settled shares on the record date set by the issuing company to participate or vote during a shareholder meeting. For more information on when a specific company's record date is and if you qualify, reach out to us at support@robinhood.com.
With Stock Lending enabled, how do I guarantee my proxy rights for positions I own?

To guarantee this, first disable Stock lending at least 2 business days before the record date of the proxy and ensure you're not using any margin before and through the record date of the stock you're currently holding. You can always enable Stock lending again after the record date.

With Stock Lending disabled, how do I guarantee my proxy rights for positions I own?

To guarantee this, ensure you're not using any margin before and through the record date of the stock you are currently holding.

Glossary

Legal proxy

Proof of ownership that is used to attend a shareholder meeting.

Say Technologies

Say Technologies LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc. Say Technologies provides investor communications including proxy notices to Robinhood customers and allows them to submit their votes at saytechnologies.com.

Proxy materials

Information provided by the issuer to the shareholder to inform them of what is to be discussed and voted on at the meeting.

Proxy vote

An optional way to cast your vote online in advance of the shareholder meeting.

Record date

The date used by the issuing company to determine which shareholders are eligible to receive notice about a shareholder meeting and vote.

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RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are not banks. Investing products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal.

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All Investing involves risk.

Brokerage services are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, (“RHF”) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC), and clearing services through Robinhood Securities, LLC, (“RHS”) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC).

Cryptocurrency services are offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (“RHC”) (NMLS ID: 1702840).Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Please review a list of RHC's licenses for more information. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected.

The Robinhood spending account is offered through Robinhood Money, LLC (“RHY”) (NMLS ID: 1990968), a licensed money transmitter. Please review a list of our licenses for more information.

The Robinhood Cash Card is a prepaid card issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard® International Incorporated. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Robinhood Gold Card is subject to credit approval and underwriting. Robinhood Gold Card is offered by Robinhood Credit, Inc., and is issued by Coastal Community Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Robinhood Credit, Inc. (“RCT”), is a financial technology company, not a bank.

Robinhood Gold is a subscription-based membership program of premium services offered through Robinhood Gold, LLC (“RHG”).

RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are not banks. Investing products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal.

RHY is not a member of FINRA, and products are not subject to SIPC protection, but funds held in the Robinhood spending account and Robinhood Cash Card account may be eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance (review the Robinhood Cash Card Agreement and the Robinhood Spending Account Agreement).

Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all customers. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before engaging in any options trading strategies. Options transactions are often complex and may involve the potential of losing the entire investment in a relatively short period of time. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount.

The risk of loss in trading futures can be substantial. Carefully consider if it’s appropriate for you in light of your financial circumstances. Please read the Futures Risk Disclosure Statement prior to trading futures products. Futures accounts are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and are not Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured. Prior to trading virtual currency Futures products, please review the NFA Investor Advisory & CFTC Advisory providing more information on these potentially significant risks. Futures trading and options on futures trading are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC (“RHD”), a registered futures commission merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Member of National Futures Association (NFA) (NFA ID 0424278).

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Robinhood, 85 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025.© 2024 Robinhood. All rights reserved.