The 69th Annual Meeting of Members will be held on Friday, October 2nd at 2:00 p.m. at FOCUS Broadband's headquarters, located at 640 Whiteville Road in Shallotte. Additional details will be provided soon.
We are always working to serve our members well and provide communications services that add quality to the lives of the residents and businesses we serve. It is our privilege to provide you with information on what your cooperative has accomplished over the year and to take the opportunity to tell you how much we appreciate your patronage.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the Annual Meeting this year?
The 69th Annual Meeting of Members will be held on Friday, October 2, at 2:00 p.m. in the Public Assembly Room at the FOCUS Broadband headquarters in Shallotte, located at 640 Whiteville Road NW. Seating is limited, and members do not have to be present to win prizes. Parking will be available in the lot in front of the main building.
A recording of the meeting will also be made available on the Annual Meeting webpage on the corporate website following the end of the meeting.
A recording of the meeting will also be made available on the Annual Meeting webpage on the corporate website following the end of the meeting.
How do I register for the Annual Meeting?
A successfully submitted ballot serves as your registration for the meeting.
Member registration and voting will be conducted online and by email. The process is administered by a third-party vendor, Survey and Ballot Systems (SBS). There will be no in-person registration or voting at this year's Annual Meeting. Additional details about the voting and registration process will be provided soon.
Members who receive their monthly FOCUS Broadband billing statement online will receive their Annual Meeting notice via email along with the registration materials and voting instructions. Incoming emails will appear from the address: FOCUS Broadband Election Coordinator or noreply@directvote.net. Please ensure that this email address is whitelisted to continue to receive information and instructions about the voting process.
Members who receive their monthly FOCUS Broadband billing statement by mail will receive their Annual Meeting notice, registration information and a mail-in ballot by mail.
When will the voting process begin and end?
More information about the voting process will be provided soon.
Which Directors seats are up for election and who are the candidates?
The following Board of Directors seats are up for election this year: District 1, District 3 and District 6.
More information about the candidates will be provided soon.
More information about the candidates will be provided soon.
How do I submit my vote?
Each membership is assigned a unique set of voting credentials that allows each member to securely access and submit a ballot. These credentials are generated by the independent company administering the election and help ensure that only one vote is counted per membership. Members may only vote once per membership.
To Vote Online:
On the opening day of the election, members who receive their FOCUS Broadband billing statements electronically will receive an email containing their unique voting credentials and instructions for accessing their online ballot. Please read the email in its entirety before beginning the voting process.
Members who receive a paper ballot may choose to vote online instead of returning their mail-in ballot. A QR code printed on the ballot can be scanned to access the online voting portal. Members will need both the unique identification number and election passcode located at the top left of the paper ballot to log in and cast their vote.
Once an online ballot is submitted, the voter will not be able to log in again to change or resubmit a vote. Any attempt to log in after a ballot has been submitted will result in a message indicating that the ballot has already been cast.
To Vote by Mail:
Members who do not receive electronic billing statements will receive their voting materials, including a paper ballot, by mail. Voting and registration materials will be mailed on September 8th.
All registration and ballot materials should not be mailed to or delivered to any FOCUS Broadband location. Any registration or ballot materials received at a FOCUS Broadband location will be considered void and will not be counted. Please use the enclosed postage-paid return envelope included in your voting materials. All materials must be received by SBS by the closing date of the voting period to count.
If a member submits both an online ballot and a paper ballot, the paper ballot will be the vote that is counted.
How do I know my online vote is secure and validated?
The voting process will be managed by Survey & Ballot Systems, a third-party vendor who specializes in elections for cooperatives. Survey & Ballot Systems will collect and validate all votes that are filled out correctly and turned in on time.
What if I do not receive my ballot?
If you are an active, eligible member and did not receive your voting materials by email or mail, or require a replacement ballot, please email CapitalCredits@focusbroadband.com, or call (910) 755-1609. You will need your Account Number, Member Name, Member Mailing Address, and Membership Number.
What if I need help while I’m casting my vote?
For technical support (available Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), please call 866-909-3549 or email support@directvote.net. For any other questions, please call FOCUS Broadband Customer Care at 888-367-2862.
Will there be in-person registration and voting?
There will be no in-person voting or registration at the Annual Meeting. Registration and voting will be conducted online and by mail-in ballot only and will take place during the designated voting period.
When will the results of the election be announced?
All results will be announced during the Annual Meeting on Friday, October 2. A recording of the meeting will be made available on the Annual Meeting webpage following the end of the meeting.
The registration and voting process is handled through a third-party vendor, Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS).
