Election Preparation for Housing Associations – nominations, candidate information and election proposals | Word/PDF/Excel

BRF election committee – template package for nominations, candidate dialogue, the election committee's proposal and handover before the annual general meeting. For housing cooperatives that need to collect nominations, compare candidates' objective qualifications and present clear election proposals. You get five editable Swedish working templates, Swedish and English user guides and an Excel register with nine tabs – all in one digital document package.

Short answer: A housing cooperative has no general statutory obligation to have an election committee, but it may be required by the bylaws. The election committee prepares proposals; it is the competent annual general meeting that actually elects the board, subject to the deviations permitted by law and the bylaws. The templates do not replace meeting minutes, bylaws or registration with the Swedish Companies Registration Office.

When are the templates suitable?

For election committees in housing cooperatives, property managers and boards that want to structure recruitment for an upcoming annual general meeting, especially when it is unclear who has been nominated, who has accepted and which mandates are expiring. The entire chain can be followed from member nomination to compiled candidate proposal, without confusing the election committee's recommendation with a formal board election.

For election committees in non-profit associations, use Non-profit association election committee instead. For the board's own meetings, use BRF Board Meeting Minutes. For extraordinary annual general meetings, use BRF Extraordinary Annual General Meeting. These are separate documents with separate purposes.

Exact file list – Word, PDF and Excel

Document format: The Word files are editable; the PDF versions are searchable, standard print files but not interactive fillable PDF forms. Excel contains 200 empty input rows in each of the seven registers. The package is not translated into English in its entirety; the English file is a user guide, not an English legal form.

The Excel tool – nine tabs

Nominations records incoming proposals. Candidates documents contact and the candidate's response. Assignment provides a mandate and bylaws overview. Checks distinguishes between actual checks and outstanding questions. Meetings follows the election committee's own work. Proposals shows proposed roles without implying election results. Actions follows up on the work. Overview summarizes register counts and missing fields. Read me provides instructions and legal sources.

Example: if a nomination is missing a date or candidate ID, COMPLETE is displayed. When the basic details are filled in, it only shows that the entry has been registered administratively. No Excel formula confirms that the candidate is eligible for election, that the correct annual general meeting has been convened or that a formal decision has been made.

How the election committee templates are used

1. Check the association's registered bylaws, how the election committee's mandate has been determined and which mandates are expiring.
2. Collect nominations in document 01; restrict access and avoid unnecessary personal data.
3. Contact candidates, inform them of responsibilities and requirements and document their responses in document 02.
4. Compare relevant competencies and manually consider legal/bylaw-based eligibility requirements in document 03.
5. Prepare the election committee's objective proposal in document 04 and check that the candidates' presentations may be used.
6. Submit the proposal in accordance with the association's procedures. The annual general meeting may make the actual election decision.
7. After the meeting, document the actual election result and necessary follow-up in document 05, with proper protection and deletion of candidate data.

Legal starting points for election committees in housing cooperatives

Is an election committee mandatory in a housing cooperative?

No, not as a general obligation under the Housing Cooperative Act. The bylaws may, however, state that an election committee shall exist and what duties it shall have. See The Housing Cooperatives' guidance on election committees as well as the association's own current bylaws.

Who elects the board – the election committee or the annual general meeting?

According to the Act (2018:672) on economic associations, Chapter 7, Section 6, the annual general meeting is generally the body that elects the board, subject to the deviations permitted by law and bylaws. For housing cooperatives, there are special rules in the Housing Cooperative Act, Chapter 9, Section 12, including that a certain number of board members must always be elected at the annual general meeting.

What screening questions apply to board candidates?

LEF Chapter 7, Sections 1, 7–13 deal among other things with the board's minimum number, who may be a member, EEA residence, impediments, willingness to participate, term of office and the effect of registration. BRL Chapter 9, Section 12 provides special rules for, for example, the spouse or cohabiting partner of a housing cooperative member. Each candidate and the composition of the board as a whole must be assessed individually against law and bylaws. The templates do not provide automatic approval.

How are candidates' personal data protected?

The association must comply with GDPR. Only collect strictly necessary data, identify the legal basis and inform the candidates. Restrict access, have a well-thought-out storage and deletion routine and do not publish private interview notes or sensitive data. Read IMY's guidance for associations. A candidate's approval of a presentation does not replace a full data protection assessment.

Frequently asked questions about election committees in housing cooperatives

Must a housing cooperative have an election committee?

No, there is no general requirement in the Housing Cooperative Act. The bylaws or a meeting decision may, however, specify the mandate.

Can the election committee itself elect a new board member?

No. It makes recommendations; the election itself is made according to law and bylaws by the competent body, normally the annual general meeting.

Can someone who is not a member of the association be nominated?

It depends on the applicable rules of law and bylaws. Housing cooperatives have special exceptions for, for example, a housing cooperative member's spouse or cohabiting partner. The check must be done manually.

Can a member of the election committee nominate themselves?

There is no general statutory ban on self-nomination in the election committee, but bylaws and any conflict of interest/transparency rules must be considered. The proposal can also be reviewed and supplemented at the annual general meeting.

Can Excel determine who is eligible or has been elected?

No. Excel shows administrative registrations and missing fields. Eligibility and election results are determined separately according to actual circumstances, law and bylaws.

Are ready-made English legal forms or fillable PDFs included?

No. Five working templates and a Swedish guide are in Swedish. The English User Guide is a help text. The PDF files are searchable and printable, not interactive forms.

Is this a template for board minutes or annual general meeting minutes?

No. The package supports the election committee's preparation. Documents for actual meeting and election decisions are needed separately.

Version, legal sources and transparency

Version 1.0 · 2026-11-05. AI-assisted check against the Housing Cooperative Act (1991:614), the Act (2018:672) on economic associations, Bostadsrätterna and IMY. No independent legal review, authority certification or legal guarantee has been performed. Check current laws and your own housing cooperative's registered bylaws before each use.